Tag: Ottis Anderson

History shows Kyler Murray’s Rookie of the Year award is great and sad

Both other winners of the award in Cardinals history are all-time greats but also were traded and won a title elsewhere.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press last week, becoming only the third player in Cardinals history to receive the honor.

His season was fantastic. He set all sorts of team rookie records and did things rarely done at his position as a rookie.

He was only the second rookie in NFL history to pass for at least 3,500 yards and rush for at least 500 more.

He joins receiver Anquan Boldin (2003) and running back Ottis Anderson (1979) as the only players in franchise history to win it.

And if history is any predictor of future success, the future looks bright for the Cardinals and Murray.

Anderson, who rushed for 1,605 yards as a rookie, is the team’s all-time record holder for rushing yards with 7,999. He holds the four best single-season rushing totals in franchise history and five of the top seven.

Boldin, as a rookie, tied the franchise single-season record for receptions with 101. He is second all-time in franchise history in receptions and fourth in receiving yards. He was the heart and soul of the Cardinals offense.

Both Boldin and Anderson are all-time franchise greats.

That suggests that Murray should be able to become one as well. He is well on his way, as his rookie season was the eighth-best single-season passing total in team history.

However, there is one thing in the history of these players that could be concerning.

Both Boldin and Anderson were traded away and won championships with other teams.

Anderson was traded to the New York Giants in 1986, the season when they won it all. He was the Super Bowl MVP in 1990.

Boldin won the Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens after he was traded in 2010.

So history suggests Murray will be great, but might get traded away and win a title with another team.

Let’s hope that part doesn’t repeat itself.

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 257

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Ep. 256

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Retired Giant Ottis Anderson believes he has Hall of Fame credentials

Retired New York Giants RB Ottis Anderson and one-time Super Bowl MVP believes he deserves to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Former New York Giants star running back Ottis “O.J.” Anderson is not shy when it comes to his legacy.

Speaking to a reporter from TMZ Sports underneath scaffolding on a Manhattan street, Anderson said he belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and that “one day they’ll figure it out.”

From TMZ Sports:

“If you check my credentials, I think I earned the right to be considered [a Hall of Famer],” Anderson says.

Ottis sneakily has a solid case for the honor … the 62-year-old rushed for 10,273 yards and 81 TDs in his 14-year career, and he added 3,062 receiving yards as well.

Plus, the dude IS a two-time Super Bowl champion … something plenty of Hall of Fame tailbacks can’t say themselves right now.

“Put me in,” Ottis says … “One day they’ll figure it out and, until then, we’ll just keep on enjoying what I accomplished as a 14-year vet.”

Not only was Anderson a two-time Super Bowl champ, he scored a touchdown in the Giants’ Super Bowl XXI victory over Denver then repeated the feat four years later against Buffalo. He was named the MVP of Super Bowl XXV.

The NFL just treleased their 100th Anniversary Team and Anderson was not on it. In fact, he was not even named a finalist. Anderson is the Cardinals’ all-time leading rusher and was the NFL Rookie of the Year with them in 1979.

10 years later, Ottis was named the NFL Comeback Player of the Year with the Giants as was as reliable a runner as the Giants have ever had, fumbling just three times from 1987-1992.

It’s nothing new for Anderson to feel disrespected. He is not in either the Cardinals or Giants’ Rings of Honor and when he retired only seven players had more rushing yards than Anderson at the time.

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