Category Archives: Super Bowl MVP

NFL, Super Bowl MVP

Rypien, Mark (2)

Card: Action Packed 1990
Acquired: TTM 2016, C/o Home
Sent: 12/12/16    Received:  1/3/17  (22  days)
See Also:  Mark Rypien

The first success I got in calendar 2017, Mark Rypien was kind enough to sign 1 of 3 cards I sent him. He inscribed the one card with Super Bowl XXVI MVP, which I thought was still cool.  Rypien’s family drips with athleticism.  His daughter has carried on in his footsteps and is a quarterback in the Lingerie Football League, while his Nephew, Brett is a starting quarterback for Boise St.

In 2014 the Washington Redskins inducted Mark into their Ring of Fame. Rypien spent eight seasons with the Redskins. From 1986 to 1993 he started 72 games for the Redskins, completing 1,244 passes for 15,928 yards and 101 touchdowns. Modestly, Rypien dedicated his enshrinement to his teammates and the 55,000 or so fans that showed up every week to cheer on the team during his magical 1991 Super Bowl and MVP run.

NFL, Pro Football HoF, Super Bowl MVP

Dawson, Len (1935-2022)

Card: ProSet 1990 Super Bowl MVP
Acquired: TTM 2016, C/o Work
Sent: 12/15   Received: 12/31   (16 days)
Failure: 2013, C/o Work

Len Dawson saw a storied NFL career that stretched from the late 50s to the mid 70s.  After putting together a strong career at Perdue, Dawson was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers with their #1 pick in 1957.  Unable to dislodge Bobby Layne from the starter position, Dawson was traded to the Cleveland Browns in 1960 where he also faced an uphill battle for the starting position under center.

He’d join the rival American Football League in 1962, where he’d become the unquestioned starter of the Dallas Texans.  Power plugged into the Texans offense,  Dawson immediately turned the franchise into contenders going toe to toe with the Houston Oilers and winning the AFL Championship. Soon thereafter the Texans moved to Kansas City and Len went on to record numerous accolades including league single-game and season records including career touchdowns with 182 for the American Football League.

The AFL had never earned the respect of the NFL brass. They felt that the AFL played an inferior kind of ball- even though Joe Namath led the Jets to victory the previous year in Super Bowl III. While the Chiefs appeared to be snake bitten all season long- with injuries to Len or just plain bad luck, they made the playoffs, after not even winning their division. The Chiefs then dethroned the Jets on their home field in the first round, and then beat the Raiders on the road in Oakland – after not even beating them during the regular season. The hard fought victory, didn’t bring the Chiefs any respect. In fact, most media and sports writers had predicted that the Minnesota Vikings were going to roll Kansas City in Super Bowl IV.

Instead, KC which had become used to the underdog role, relished in victory, smothering the Vikings 23-7.  Dawson paced the Chiefs throwing for 142 yards and a TD on 12 of 17 passing, earning himself MVP honors- all while under duress of a gambling probe that was proven unfounded.  Dawson avenged himself for his previous loss to the NFL, when the Chiefs lost to the Packers in Super Bowl I.

Len played an additional 5 more seasons retiring after the 1975 season- after 19 seasons.

Len is incredibly popular in Kansas City Chiefs’ lore. He had his number retired and was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame. Dawson has done color commentary and insider reporting in the NFL for many years. In 1987 Len was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He also worked as a sports anchor for many years in Kansas City. 

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EPITAPH:

8/24/22- Len Dawson was moved to hospice in the last few days, where he passed away at the age of 87.

NFL, Super Bowl MVP

Manning, Eli

dor&s09 emanningCards: Donruss Rookies & Stars 2009, Donruss Rookies & Stars 2010.
Acquired: TTM 2015, C/o Home
Sent: 5/27   Received:  6/18      (24 days)

Less than a week after wrapping up the crown jewel of in person autographs for 2015, lo and behold, the arrival of Eli Manning TTM. I had seen a lot of recent successes for the enigmatic signer and decided to take a stab.  Eli Manning actually first garnered my attention when he was at Ole Miss. I was working on Tecmo Fiesta Bowl for a front end- that the programmer later dropped off the face of the Earth on, and input Manning’s out of sight abilities. (He was basically Dan Marino from Tecmo Bowl playing with a bunch of scrubs.) I knew he was going to be a good player in the pros. It also helped that he’s the son of former quarterback Archie Manning, and the younger brother of Peyton Manning.

Originally the #1 overall choice of the San Diego Chargers in 2004, Manning refused to play for the team due to organizational differences. It was rumored that the elder Archie did not want his son to play for a perennial loser or for defensive mided coach Marty Schottenheimer– but in reality, the Chargers had orchestrated a trade with the Giants well before the draft, if New York could wrangle in QB Philip Rivers and toss in a few picks to quickly rebuild the moribund Charger franchise. While the Mannings took a lot of flak from fans and the press for their percieved behavior,  it was fait accompli between the Giants and Chargers.  As Manning got off to a rocky start his rookie season, with 6 TDs to 9 picks, and 48.9 completion percentage, San Diego appeared to have made the better deal and Giants fans were murmuring, but once Manning established himself as the starter, he became one of the league’s ironmen under center starting 167 straight games, through the 2014 season. In 9 of his next 10 seasons, he attempted more than 500 passes.

dor&s10 emanningManning came of age in 2007, leading the Giants to a Super Bowl win (XLII) over the previously undefeated New England Patriots, 17-14. He’d be named MVP after going 19/34 for 255 yards, with 2 TDs and a pick.  The season ending victory was a bittersweet culmination of sorts for the Giants and Manning. He had been maligned in the media,  by fans, management, and even by former teammate Tiki Barber.  In 2011, the Giants repeated again as Super Bowl Champions over the Patriots, this time 21-17. Eli took home his second MVP trophy after going 30/40 for 296 yards and a TD. Although his numbers took a precipitous slide in 2013 as he led the league for the 3rd time in his career in interceptions, Eli’s numbers recovered nicely to form in 2014.

Manning holds many Giants’, NFL, and postseason records. He is considered one of the most clutch quarterbacks in the league (NFL record 15 4th quarter TDs and 8 game winning drives in a season in 2011).