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Reactions: 2001 NFL MVP Posted: Wednesday December 26, 2001 4:05 PMSt. Louis head coach Mike Martz has lobbied Sports Illustrated's Peter King for an MVP vote to be cast for Rams QB Kurt Warner: Asks Martz: "Is anyone more deserving of the MVP than Kurt?" Meanwhile, SI's Don Banks says the running order -- with two weeks remaining -- is Green Bay's Brett Favre, Warner and Pittsburgh's Kordell Stewart. CNNSI.com users weighed-in with their opinions on those picks, as well as some other suggestions. A sample of the responses follows: Curtis Martin is clearly the MVP this year. Favre has Green, Stewart has Bettis, and Warner has Faulk (or vice versa). Through 14 games Martin has a passing game that has only produced two 200-yard games. Despite that, the Jets are 9-5 and control their playoff destiny. No other playoff team has relied more on one player than the Jets have on Martin in 2001!
Tom Brady turned the Patriots around, from what would have been a dismal season, to a thus far 10-5 season! What more needs to be said? The Patriots could end up, very easily, with an 11-5 record and the AFC East Division Title. I think it's the biggest "Cinderella" story in the NFL this year. As this story's orchestrator, Tom Brady clearly deserves the league's MVP award!
Marshall Faulk, MVP. The Rams can't win with out him. When the game is on the line, Mike Martz puts the ball in Marshall's hands, not Kurt Warner's. Warner has had terrible days with the interceptions and when that happens the Rams can't come back from that. Marshall is rock steady.
Jeff Garcia of the 49ers is the most deserving. Who out there even had the 49ers in the playoffs this year, let alone one game behind the high flying Rams? And think about it, they wouldn't even be this close without a leader like Garcia.
I believe Kordell should be the MVP. He's gone from almost losing his job to leading his team back to being one of the most hard-charging teams ever seen in the last few years. Yes, Pittsburgh has a great defense and Jerome Bettis, but they wouldn't be there without Kordell Stewart. He took it upon himself to rise to the occasion and become the dominant player that he is.
As much as I would hate to admit it, Green Bay would simply be a 4-10 team instead of a 10-4 team without Brett Favre. St. Louis could win with T.J. Rubley under center.
Brett Favre far and away! Look what he does with so much less than Kordell and especially than Warner. Kurt's surrounded by talent so he doesn't have to carry the load; Kordell's got the Bus and fine receivers. Brett's got mediocre receivers not getting open and then dropping several balls per game when they do! He makes it happen. The Pack aches or breaks on Favre, not the others.
How can anyone pass on Jeff Garcia? He's taken a team that was supposed to go nowhere and turned them into a serious contender.
Why isn't anyone making a case for Tom Brady of the Patriots as MVP? Notice that the Pats are winning since he replaced Drew Bledsoe as QB?
Jeff Garcia deserves MVP honors. For all of Mike Martz's whining about Kurt Warner's thumb, Jeff Garcia has been playing this season with a sprained knee, elbow tendonitis, and most recently, torn rib cartilage. He has led a team with one of the league's youngest defenses to the playoffs through his outstanding quarterback play, despite having only one consistent receiving threat in Terrell Owens. He engineered four fourth quarter comebacks this season, including three overtime victories. Garcia makes things happen in the air as well as on the ground, never shying away from a hit and always keeping defenses on their toes.
OK, OK, I'm from St. Louis, but Kurt Warner is by far the best QB in the league. So he has a few picks, it happens when you throw that much (and you have a bruised thumb for a few weeks). If you overlook the interceptions, he leads the league in almost all the major statistical categories. Brett Favre, yeah he's good, but ask any coach in the league and I'd bet they take Warner over Brett any day, and for Kordell, well, you know there's no comparison.
I think that when you are choosing an MVP candidate, you should consider this question: where would this team be without this particular player? I believe there is only one player that fits this criteria and that player is Kordell Stewart. Individual stats are great but team wins, because of leadership, are the most important. I feel he has turned his leadership abilities and game around in a very big way and it is now mirroring wins for the Pittsburgh Steelers. This is no coincidence, so make the right choice and choose Kordell Stewart for MVP.
The 49ers have rallied around Jeff Garcia. He should be named the MVP this season. He's a true leader and the ultimate teammate. Not many QBs can deal with egos like Terrell Owens'.
Kordell Stewart period. Could Maddox have led the Steelers to a league best 12-2 record (even with the running of Jerome Bettis and a tough defense)? I think not. The point is Kordell has played a near-perfect season with only five interceptions and stepped up to make the big plays when his team needed it most. One could argue against Kordell because of his passing numbers, however his team's offensive system is not based around the pass but relies on running the ball. Besides, the MVP award is not given simply to the one with the most yards but the most impact.
While there has not been the clear-cut favorite, I believe the MVP award should go to Brett Favre. The performances during the Baltimore and Jacksonville games were simply awe-inspiring. And despite the changing atmosphere of the worst to first NFL, Brett Favre has remained a constant. Another season with 30+ TDs, 155 consecutive starts, undefeated in cold weather at home, and back in the playoffs. Is anyone more important to their team than Favre? Is the team good? Yes to both of these means Favre should be MVP.
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