Falcon Report

Former Atlanta Falcons' RB Thinks He Should Have Won an MVP Over Peyton Manning

Former Atlanta Falcons running back Michael Turner feels he was snubbed of an NFL MVP in 2008, and the numbers suggest he has a case.
Arkesh Ray|
Former Atlanta Falcons running back Michael Turner believes he was snubbed of an MVP award in favor of Peyton Manning.
Former Atlanta Falcons running back Michael Turner believes he was snubbed of an MVP award in favor of Peyton Manning. | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

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Indianapolis ColtsAtlanta Falcons

In the off-season before the 2008 NFL season, the Atlanta Falcons signed running back Michael Turner, who had been the backup for Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson. Turner went on to have the best season of his career and prove he deserved to be a starter in the NFL. 

The former Falcons’ running back believes that season should have culminated in an award.

“I tell people all the time, I should have been MVP, but, but, it is what it is. I can’t control that,” Turner said on 680TheFan.

In 2008, Peyton Manning won the NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. Atlanta Falcons running back Michael Turner and Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington were tied in second place, with 8% of the votes. 

Manning that season had one of his weaker MVP campaigns, throwing just 27 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. He did throw for 4,002 yards, but five other quarterbacks registered more passing yards in 2008. 

Turner had 1,699 rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns. He was second in the NFL in rushing yards, trailing only Adrian Peterson. He was also second in the NFL in rushing touchdowns, trailing only DeAngelo Williams. He helped lead the team to an 11-5 record after the Falcons had finished 4-12 the previous season. 

Turner argued that he was the most valuable player that year. Not the best offensive player, but the most valuable. 

“Impact. The culture is already winning, so them winning already, it was nothing special about that season,” Turner said with regard to the Indianapolis Colts. 

The Colts had won 12 or more games in each of the five seasons preceding 2008. The Atlanta Falcons won four games in 2007. They did draft Matt Ryan in 2008, but Turner was the engine of the offense that year. He rushed for more touchdowns than Ryan threw, so he really did have a case for the most valuable player in the league. 

After five seasons in Atlanta, he finished as the franchise's second-leading rusher with 6,081 (Gerald Riggs, 6,631) and all-time leader with 60 rushing touchdowns.

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Arkesh Ray
ARKESH RAY

Current senior at the University of Georgia in pursuit of a Sports Media Certificate at UGA's Carmichael Sports Media Institute. I covered High School Sports as an intern for the Marietta Daily Journal and used to host my own radio show "Peach Empire Sports" where I got to talk football with Mohamed Sanu. I am a huge football and basketball fan and enjoy baseball, although not as much as the other two sports. I love sports and wish to share my passion with others through the written media."