Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp was voted as the AP Offensive Player of the Year over Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor for the 2021 season.
Taylor had an extremely strong case for the award as the NFL’s leading running back. However, it was Kupp who won the award in a pretty favorable fashion.
Kupp led the way with 35 votes while Taylor was second on the list with 10 votes.
Offensive Player of the Year voting:
Cooper Kupp: 35
Jonathan Taylor: 10
Tom Brady: 3
Aaron Rodgers: 2— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 11, 2022
While Taylor was certainly deserving of the award, it’s easy to understand why Kupp was the winner. He led the NFL in receptions (145), receiving yards (1,947) and touchdown receptions (16). His receptions and receiving yards numbers are both the second-highest in a single season among wide receivers.
Kupp is now just the fourth player since the 1970 merger to earn the receiving triple crown and the first since 2005. He joins a club exclusive to only Jerry Rice (1990), Sterling Sharpe (1992) and Steve Smith (2005).
Taylor’s campaign was historic in its own right. He was the youngest player in NFL history to eclipse 1,800 rushing yards in a single season and the youngest player to ever record 2,000 scrimmage yards and 20 total touchdowns in a single season.
Taylor also set the franchise record for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in a single season, surpassing Hall of Famer Edgerrin James.
Taylor did, however, earn the FedEx Ground Player of the Year for the 2021 season, which is typically given to league’s best running back.
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