John Elway, 1987 MVP
Elway was solid in 1987, but not otherworldly, tossing 19 touchdowns and 12 picks, leading the Broncos to an 8-3-1 record in his starts during a strike-shortened season. Out west, Jerry Rice set an NFL record with 22 receiving touchdowns, which would stand until 2007, when Randy Moss had four more games to get his 23. Rice amassed 1,129 yards in 12 contests and added a rushing touchdown. But he (30 votes) and teammate Joe Montana (18 votes) split their votes to leave the door open for Elway (36).