History of RBs to win NFL MVP: How Chiefs star Kenneth Walker could snap the QBs streak originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Kansas City Chiefs are experiencing a resurgence in the 2026 season, and a big reason why is the play of new running back Kenneth Walker.
The Chiefs signed Walker to a three-year deal in free agency, bringing the Super Bowl 60 MVP over from the Seattle Seahawks. Immediately, Walker's addition has changed the Chiefs' offense, giving the unit a completely different dimension than it has had in the past.
Walker is already on pace to not only shatter his career-best numbers, but to also put up one of the best seasons in NFL history for a running back. While it's early, Walker has a chance to enter the MVP conversation as a running back, which is pretty much unheard of in this era of football.
While quarterbacks have dominated the award, running backs are the only other position to produce at least two MVPs since the Associated Press started deciding the award in 1957. However, as running backs have been devalued, no member of the position has come close to winning MVP lately.
If Walker keeps this up, he could add himself to some rare company. Here's a look back at which running backs have won the NFL's MVP award.
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History of RBs to win NFL MVP
| Year | Running back | Team |
| 2012 | Adrian Peterson | Minnesota Vikings |
| 2006 | LaDainian Tomlinson | San Diego Chargers |
| 2005 | Shaun Alexander | Seattle Seahawks |
| 2000 | Marshall Faulk | St. Louis Rams |
| 1998 | Terrell Davis | Denver Broncos |
| 1997 | Barry Sanders* | Detroit Lions |
| 1993 | Emmitt Smith | Dallas Cowboys |
| 1991 | Thurman Thomas | Buffalo Bills |
| 1985 | Marcus Allen | Los Angeles Raiders |
| 1979 | Earl Campbell | Houston Oilers |
| 1977 | Walter Payton | Chicago Bears |
| 1973 | O.J. Simpson | Buffalo Bills |
| 1972 | Larry Brown | Washington |
| 1965 | Jim Brown | Cleveland Browns |
| 1962 | Jim Taylor | Green Bay Packers |
| 1961 | Paul Hornung | Green Bay Packers |
| 1958 | Jim Brown | Cleveland Browns |
| 1957 | Jim Brown | Cleveland Browns |
*Co-MVP*
Only 18 times in NFL history has a running back won the AP MVP award, but it's happened just once in the past 20 years and not since 2012. The last running back to win MVP was Adrian Peterson, whose dominant 2012 season secured him the league's most prestigious award.
LaDainian Tomlinson and Shaun Alexander won MVP awards in back-to-back seasons for the San Diego Chargers and Seattle Seahawks, respectively, putting up similar numbers. Both players surpassed 1,800 rushing yards while combining for 55 rushing touchdowns, as Tomlinson had 28 and Alexander had 27.
Other members of the running back MVP brotherhood include all-time greats like Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, and Marcus Allen, and leaders of dynamic offenses like Terrell David and Marshall Faulk.
Of course, only one running back has ever won multiple MVP awards: Cleveland Browns legend Jim Brown. The all-time great player won three MVP awards in a nine-year span, taking home the award in each of his first two seasons and once at the end of his career.
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Can Kenneth Walker win MVP?
For Kenneth Walker to win the MVP award, he will need an overwhelmingly dominant season. Voters always default to quarterbacks when deciding who to vote for the award, so Walker will need to go above and beyond with his play.
Through five games, Walker is on pace for 2,261 rushing yards and 2,584 yards from scrimmage, which would both break the all-time records. If Walker can keep that up, his case for MVP may be too strong to ignore.
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