The news made the Washington Post’s front page, but there was no glitzy ceremony or red carpet rolled out for this NFL great when he surprisingly won the league’s most prestigious individual prize.
Mark Moseley of the then-Washington Redskins (now, the Commanders) was voted the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 1982, becoming the first and only kicker to ever receive the award.
“I don’t even have a trophy or a letter from the NFL or anyone else, other than I was on the front page of The Washington Post,” Moseley told CNN Sport. “That’s the only thing that I have to prove that I was the NFL MVP.”
To cap off a stellar individual season, Moseley also kicked two field goals and was successful on all three of his extra point attempts as the Redskins beat the Miami Dolphins at Super Bowl XVII as he went down in Washington DC and football folklore.
This was a weird and funky NFL season wrought with disruption and strikes – there was a 57-day break in the middle of the year and a one-off, 16-team playoff tournament to determine the league’s best team – but ended with personal success for Moseley, which even he still struggles to quite comprehend.
“I guess my MVP award was one that you just had to be there to appreciate.”
At the start of the season, Moseley’s position as Washington’s kicker had been in jeopardy.
Drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 1970, Moseley had gone on to establish himself as a reliable veteran, although his straight-on kicking style was slowly dying out.
Before the 1982 season, a new head coach, Joe Gibbs, had been appointed by Washington and the franchise’s consensus was that a complete overhaul of the squad, including the kicking position, was required.
“The new coaching staff really didn’t know me,” Moseley said. “They didn’t know what I was capable of doing … Our general manager at that time was Bobby Beathard.
“Bobby had been trying to get a lot of the players from the past out of the organization based on that it was his team now. He was trying to replace a lot of us, and I was one of those that he was trying to replace.”
Moseley was told that the starting job was to be given to rookie kicker Dan Miller. However, Moseley stubbornly showed up for preseason and eventually won the position after Miller had a poor showing.
Moseley never looked back.
Brynn Anderson/AP
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the Chiefs won Super Bowl LVII. The Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35.
Sarah Stier/Getty Images
A pass soars over the head of Kansas City wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster late in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl. Eagles cornerback James Bradberry
was called for holding on the play, setting up the Chiefs' game-winning field goal.
Abbie Parr/AP
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts scores a two-point conversion to tie the Super Bowl at 35-35 in the fourth quarter. Hurts finished the game with three rushing touchdowns and one passing touchdown.
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Mahomes throws a pass in the fourth quarter of the AFC Championship against the Cincinnati Bengals. He led his team to a 23-20 victory.
Seth Wenig/AP
Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick causes San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy to fumble during the NFC Championship. It was the Niners' first offensive drive and Purdy injured his elbow on the play. He left the game until the third quarter, when his backup Josh Johnson suffered a concussion. The Eagles won 31-7.
Joshua Bessex/AP
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase and running back Joe Mixon motion for a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills during the third quarter. Both Chase and Mixon had TDs as the Bengals convincingly beat the Bills 27-10 to advance to the AFC Championship game.
Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire/AP
Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson celebrates an interception late in the fourth quarter of the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Despite Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes appearing to suffer a serious ankle injury, Kansas City was able to beat the Jaguars 27-20 to advance to play the Bengals.
Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images
George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers catches a pass against the Dallas Cowboys during the third quarter. The 49ers' defense -- which picked off Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott twice -- helped stymie Dallas in a 19-12 victory to move San Francisco to the NFC Championship game.
Chris Szagola/AP
New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones loses the ball while under pressure by Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Josh Sweat. The Eagles thoroughly dominated the Giants, winning 38-7, to advance to play the 49ers in the NFC Championship game.
Kim Klement/Reuters
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott rushes the ball for a touchdown against Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Akiem Hicks in the first half. Prescott accounted for five touchdowns -- one rushing and four passing -- in the Cowboys' 31-14 victory over the Bucs to set up a clash against the San Francisco 49ers in the next round of the playoffs.
Kevin Sabitus/AP
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence celebrates on the field after completing a massive comeback against the Los Angeles Chargers. Lawrence threw four interceptions -- and also four touchdowns -- as he led the Jaguars back from 27-0 down in the first half to beat the Chargers 31-30 thanks to a last-second field goal.
Darron Cummings/AP
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley loses the ball as it is knocked away by Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson. Bengals defensive end Sam Hubbard picked up the fumble and returned it for a 98-yard touchdown in a game-changing moment in Cincinnati's 24-17 victory.
Adrian Kraus/AP
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir grabs a pass against Miami Dolphins cornerback Kader Kohou. Despite playing with third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson, the Dolphins almost shocked the Bills but came up just short, turning the ball over on downs on Miami's final possession of the game as they lost 34-31. The Bills will now face the Bengals for the first time since Bills safety Damar Hamlin's on-field collapse brought a game between the two teams to a halt and set off a national outpouring of support.
Abbie Parr/AP
The Minnesota Vikings' Eric Kendricks tackles New York Giants wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins. The Giants shocked the No. 3 seed 31-24 largely thanks to an excellent performance from quarterback Daniel Jones. The 25-year-old finished with 301 passing yards and two touchdowns, as well as 78 rushing yards.
Jed Jacobsohn/AP
San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle celebrates after scoring a two-point conversion against the Seattle Seahawks. The 49ers used a big second half to break away from a plucky Seahawks squad and win 41-23. It continues the remarkable run of rookie 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy -- who threw for three touchdowns -- who was drafted with the final pick of last year's NFL draft.
Joshua Bessex/AP
Buffalo Bills running back Nyheim Hines scores a touchdown on a kickoff return during the first half against the New England Patriots.
Hines' touchdown -- his first of two against New England -- came in the Bills' first play since Damar Hamlin collapsed and suffered a cardiac arrest.
Jeffrey T. Barnes/AP
Fans hold a sign in support of Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin during the second half of the game against the New England Patriots. On Sunday, a source told CNN that the Bills safety had shown continued progress with his recovery after his cardiac arrest and on-field collapse and expects to be released from the hospital in the coming days.
Jeff Bottari/Getty Images
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney catches a touchdown against Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Luke Masterson during the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium. With the emphatic 31-13 victory, the Chiefs clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC and a bye for the first round of the playoffs.
Steph Chambers/Getty Images
The Seattle Seahawks celebrate an interception by Quandre Diggs against the Los Angeles Rams in overtime at Lumen Field. Thanks to their 19-16 win and the Green Bay Packers' defeat later in the day, the Seahawks claimed a wildcard spot in the NFC playoffs.
Robert Scheer/USA Today Sports/Reuters
Indianapolis Colts fans sit in the stands wearing sad face paper bag masks during a game against the Houston Texans at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Colts lost their last seven games of the season -- including Sunday's 32-31 defeat to the Texans -- to finish 4-12-1 for the season, leaving them with the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NFL draft.
Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
Quez Watkins of the Philadelphia Eagles stiff-arms the New York Giants' Nick McCloud during the first quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Eagles star quarterback Jalen Hurts returned to the line-up on Sunday and helped the team to a 22-16 win over the Giants, clinching the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.
Matt Freed/AP
The Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers kneel in prayer for Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin before playing on December 8. The Steelers would go on to win 28-14.
Joseph Maiorana/USA Today Sports/Reuters
Buffalo Bills players react after teammate
Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field during the first quarter of the Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Hamlin was administered CPR before being transported off the field in an ambulance.
Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady celebrates after scoring a rushing touchdown against Carolina on Sunday, January 1. The Buccaneers clinched a postseason berth — and their second straight NFC South title — with a 30-24 win.
John Locher/AP
San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey rumbles into the end zone against Las Vegas on January 1. McCaffrey and the Niners won 37-34 in overtime.
Matt Slocum/AP
Philadelphia quarterback Gardner Minshew, making his second start in place of injured Jalen Hurts, passes against New Orleans on January 1. The Eagles lost 20-10 but still have a chance to clinch home-field advantage in next week's regular season finale.
Winslow Townson/Getty Images
Kendrick Bourne of the New England Patriots catches a touchdown over Cam Taylor-Britt of the Cincinnati Bengals during the fourth quarter at Gillette Stadium on December 24. The Bengals won 22-18.
Tommy Gilligan/USA Today Sports
Atlanta Falcons center Drew Dalman prepares to snap the ball during the first half against the Baltimore Ravens at the M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens won 17-9.
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Rachaad White of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers stretches across the goal line for a touchdown as Marco Wilson of the Arizona Cardinals defends during the fourth quarter. The Bucs won 19-16.
Don Wright/AP
Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs (28) is tackled during the second half of the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers won 13-10.
Sam Hodde/Getty Images
Michael Gallup of the Dallas Cowboys is unable to make a catch in the end zone under pressure from James Bradberry of the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cowboys won 40-34.
Matt Krohn/USA Today/Reuters
Minnesota Vikings place kicker Greg Joseph celebrates his game-winning field goal against the Indianapolis Colts. The Vikings rallied from a 33-point deficit at halftime to defeat the Colts 39-36, completing the largest comeback in NFL history.
Mike Carlson/Getty Images
Jamal Agnew of the Jacksonville Jaguars attempts to catch a pass against the Dallas Cowboys during the second half. The Cowboys lost 40-34 in overtime after Rayshawn Jenkins' 52-yard interception was returned for a touchdown.
Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images
Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals is sacked by Lavonte David of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Burrow threw four touchdowns as the Bengals overcame a 17-point deficit to beat Tom Brady and the Bucs 34-23.
Chris Unger/Getty Images
Mac Jones of the New England Patriots reacts after losing to the Las Vegas Raiders 30-24. A crazy ending to the game between the teams ended with the Patriots suffering a damaging defeat in their hopes to reach the playoffs.
Jeff Dean/AP
Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku reaches for a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, December 11. It was Deshaun Watson's first touchdown pass for the Browns since
returning from an 11-game suspension over sexual misconduct allegations. Despite the touchdown, the Bengals won 23-10.
Gary A. Vasquez/USA Today Sports/Reuters
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams catches a pass against Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard on December 11. The Chargers won 23-17.
Jed Jacobsohn/AP
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy celebrates after running for a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on December 11. The rookie also threw for two touchdowns in the
35-7 blowout win.
Ron Chenoy/USA Today Sports/Reuters
Kansas City Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon dives for a touchdown against the Denver Broncos on December 11. McKinnon scored two receiving touchdowns in the game, and the Chiefs won 34-28.
Charles Rex Arbogast/AP
Green Bay Packers' Christian Watson celebrates as he crosses the goal line after catching a touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers during the second half of a game against the Chicago Bears on December 4. Watson had two touchdowns in the Packers' 28-19 victory over the Bears.
Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP
Miami Dolphins fullback Alec Ingold hurdles over San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw during the first half of the teams' game. The 49ers, despite losing starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to a season-ending injury early on, beat the Dolphins 33-17.
David Becker/AP
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Mack Hollins goes upside down on a reception during the first half against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Raiders eventually beat the Chargers 27-20, largely thanks to a monster afternoon for star wide receiver Davante Adams, who finished with 177 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Jeff Dean/AP
Cincinnati Bengals running back Chris Evans runs in for a touchdown past Kansas City Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis in the second half. Behind two touchdown passes from Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Cincinnati beat the Chiefs 27-24.
Mike Stobe/Getty Images
New York Jets QB Mike White celebrates after beating the Chicago Bears 31-10 at MetLife Stadium on November 27. White had a monster afternoon, throwing for 315 yards and three touchdowns.
Phelan M. Ebenhack/AP
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. makes the game-winning touchdown catch with 18 seconds left against Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marcus Peters during the second half of their game in Week 12.
Patrick Semansky/AP
Two sides of the coin... Atlanta Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota and Washington Commanders defensive end Montez Sweat react to Mariota's second half interception on November 27. Washington won the game 19-13.
Jed Jacobsohn/AP
New Orleans Saints tight end Taysom Hill is tackled by San Francisco 49ers defensive end Samson Ebukam, linebacker Fred Warner and defensive tackle Kevin Givens in the second half on November 27. The 49ers would go on to shut out the Saints 13-0 to move to 7-4 on the year.
Tony Gutierrez/AP
Dallas' Peyton Hendershot, right, celebrates a touchdown with teammates inside a big Salvation Army kettle during the Cowboys' Thanksgiving Day win over the New York Giants on Thursday, November 24.
Lon Horwedel/USA Today Sports
Buffalo wide receiver Stefon Diggs digs into a turkey leg after the Bills defeated Detroit on Thanksgiving Day.
Jack Dempsey/AP
Ahead of their game against the Las Vegas Raiders on November 20, Denver Broncos staff members and fans observe a moment of silence for victims of
an attack at a Colorado Springs LGBTQ nightclub late Saturday. A gunman entered the Club Q nightclub and opened fire, killing at least 5 people and injuring 19 others, police said.
John Bazemore/AP
Atlanta Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson sets a personal record by running back a kick-return 103 yards for a touchdown in front of his home crowd. Patterson now has nine kickoff return touchdowns, the most in NFL history. The Falcons would go on to beat the Chicago Bears 27-24.
Brace Hemmelgarn/USA Today/Reuters
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott celebrates a touchdown with running back Tony Pollard in the third quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at US Bank Stadium. The Cowboys (7-3) demolished the previously Vikings (8-2) 40-3 on the road in an astonishing performance.
Steven Senne/AP
New England Patriots fans celebrate as cornerback Marcus Jones scores an 84-yard punt return in the final 30 seconds of the game to give the Pats a 10-3 win over division rivals, the New York Jets.
Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images
Justin Jefferson catches arguably the pass of the year in front of the Bills' Cam Lewis during the fourth quarter at Highmark Stadium in Buffalo. Jefferson had a monster afternoon — finishing with 10 catches, 193 receiving yards and a touchdown — as the Vikings stunned the Bills 33-30 in overtime to go to 8-1 on the year.
Gary McCullough/AP
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback
Tom Brady keeps on making history. Brady and the Bucs beat the Seattle Seahawks 21-16 in the NFL's first regular season game in Germany. With the victory, the seven-time Super Bowl champion became the first QB to win an NFL game in three different countries outside of the US. He had previously won in the UK and in Mexico.
Charles Rex Arbogast/AP
Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields evades Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph as he runs for a 67-yard touchdown. Fields ran for 147 yards and two touchdowns, but it wasn't enough as the Bears lost 31-30 to the Lions.
Matt Ludtke/AP
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson celebrates with fans after scoring a touchdown during the second half against the Dallas Cowboys. The rookie caught three touchdowns as the Packers ended a five-game losing streak to beat the Cowboys 31-28 in overtime.
Eric Espada/Getty Images
Miami Dolphins fullback Alec Ingold scores a touchdown in the first quarter of the game against the Cleveland Browns at Hard Rock Stadium. Miami beat the Browns 39-17, extending its winning run to four games, behind three touchdown passes from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Robert Deutsch/USA Today/Reuters
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen scores a first quarter touchdown against the New York Jets, but the Bills' fast start wasn't enough though, as the Jets fought back and were able to record a huge victory over their high-flying division rivals, 20-17.
Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Joe Mixon scores a touchdown for the Cincinnati Bengals during the third quarter against the Carolina Panthers. Mixon scored five TDs in the 42-21 win over the Panthers, breaking the Bengals' record for the most touchdowns in a single game.
Mark LoMoglio/AP
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Brandon Powell is acrobatically tackled by Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Genard Avery during the first half of their game at Raymond James Stadium. Bucs quarterback
Tom Brady threw a one-yard touchdown to tight end Cade Otton with 13 seconds left to complete a 16-13 comeback victory over the reigning Super Bowl champions.
Gary McCullough/AP
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams catches a pass for a touchdown while being tightly defended by Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Tyson Campbell. Despite another excellent afternoon for Adams — finishing with 146 receiving yards and two touchdowns — the Raiders were beaten 27-20 by the Jags.
Paul Sancya/AP
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Samori Toure is tackled by Detroit Lions safety Will Harris. The Packers lost their fourth straight game, losing to the Lions 15-9, as Aaron Rodgers threw three interceptions on the day.
Eric Hartline/USA Today/Reuters
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown catches a 29-yard touchdown pass against Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. Brown caught three touchdown passes as the Eagles remained undefeated with a 35-13 victory over the Steelers to move to 7-0 for the season.
Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey throws a touchdown pass to Brandon Aiyuk against the Los Angeles Rams. McCaffrey equaled a rare record in the 49ers 31-14 victory, becoming the first NFL player since Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson in 2005 to have a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown in a game.
Adam Bettcher/Getty Images
DeAndre Hopkins make an amazing one-handed catch to reel in a touchdown for the Arizona Cardinals against the Minnesota Vikings. Hopkins' excellent display, finishing with the touchdown and 159 receiving yards, wasn't enough though as the Cardinals lost 34-26 to the Vikings.
Ron Jenkins/AP
Dallas Cowboys' Micah Parsons celebrates his fumble recovery and touchdown run during the second half against the Chicago Bears. The Cowboys dominated the Bears, winning 49-29, with running back Tony Pollard scoring three rushing touchdowns.
Rusty Costanza/AP
New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara stretches across the goal line for a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Saints shut out the Raiders, intercepting quarterback Derek Carr once, on the way to a 24-0 win.
John Bazemore/AP
Atlanta Falcons kicker
Younghoe Koo is congratulated by teammates after kicking the game-winning field goal in overtime against the Carolina Panthers. Regular time ended in dramatic fashion after Panthers quarterback PJ Walker completed a huge Hail Mary touchdown pass to tie the scores but kicker Eddy Pineiro missed two key kicks which would have given Carolina the victory. In the end, Koo's overtime field goal gave the Falcons the 37-34 victory.
Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones slides and accidentally kicks Chicago Bears safety Jaquan Brisker in the groin. Later on in the drive, Brisker got his revenge though with an impressive one-handed interception — one of three picks on the evening for "Da Bears" in a 33-14 win for Chicago.
Jeff Dean/AP
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase catches one of his two touchdowns on the afternoon over Atlanta Falcons cornerback Cornell Armstrong and safety Jaylinn Hawkins. The Bengals beat the Falcons 35-17 behind a monster performance from quarterback Joe Burrow, who threw 34-for-42 for 481 yards and three touchdowns.
Scott Kinser/CSM/ZUMA Press/AP
It was tough times for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tom Brady on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. Brady — sacked here by Panthers defensive end Brian Burns — and the Bucs failed to score a touchdown in a 21-3 loss to Carolina to send Tampa Bay to 3-4 on the year. Despite the loss, the Bucs are still first place in the lowly NFC South.
Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
Seattle Seahawks receiver Marquise Goodwin makes an amazing catch for a touchdown in the first half of a 37-23 win against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Goodwin made four catches for 67 yards and two TDs on the day.
Ron Jenkins/AP
All eyes might have been focused on quarterback Dak Prescott's return but Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott — here hurdling Detroit Lions safety DeShon Elliott — stole the show with two rushing TDs to help America's Team to a 24-6 win over Detroit.
Norm Hall/Getty Images
Arizona Cardinals cornerback Marco Wilson leaps into the end zone as he returns an interception for a touchdown during a Thursday Night Football football game against the New Orleans Saints. The Arizona defense scored touchdowns on two pick-sixes late in the first half.
Peter Aiken/Associated Press
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen hurdles Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid as he scrambles for a first down. Allen's fourth quarter touchdown throw to Dawson Knox capped off a 24-20 victory against the Chiefs.
Jenna Watson/USA TODAY
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Parris Campbell stretches to get the ball over the pylon for a touchdown while defended by Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Darious Williams. The Colts beat their division rivals 34-27 thanks to a last-gasp touchdown from quarterback Matt Ryan to rookie Alec Pierce.
Seth Wenig/Associated Press
New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley dives into the endzone to score a touchdown during the second half against the Baltimore Ravens. The Giants continued their excellent start to the season with a 24-20 win over the Ravens, improving their record to 5-1.
Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press
Chicago Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney makes catch under pressure from Washington Commanders cornerback Benjamin St-Juste just short of the goal line in the final minute of the second half. Mooney came within inches of securing a come-from-behind victory for the Bears, but eventually had to settle for a 12-7 loss after he was adjudged to have landed just short of a touchdown.
Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images
Gabe Davis of the Buffalo Bills makes a one-handed catch for a touchdown against Minkah Fitzpatrick of the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter at Highmark Stadium. The Bills dominated the Steelers 38-3 with Davis scoring two touchdowns on the day.
Rusty Jones/AP
San Francisco 49ers cornerback Emmanuel Moseley scores a touchdown after having intercepted Carolina Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield. The 49ers emphatically beat the Panthers 37-15.
Adam Hunger/AP
New York Jets running back Breece Hall carries the ball down to the one-yard line against the Miami Dolphins during the fourth quarter. Hall rushed for a touchdown in the Jets' 40-17 demolishing of the Dolphins. His TD was one of the Jets' four rushing touchdowns as they dominated Miami on the ground.
Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush celebrates with Dak Prescott after the team's 22-10 win against the Los Angeles Rams. Rush stepped in for starting quarterback Prescott in Week 2 after Prescott suffered a hand injury. Since then, the Cowboys have won four straight games.
Brad Rempel/USA Today Sports
Minnesota wide receiver Justin Jefferson dives for a two-point conversion during the Vikings' 29-22 victory over the Chicago Bears.
Gerald Herbert/AP
New Orleans Saints utility player Taysom Hill breaks the tackle of Seattle Seahawks safety Quandre Diggs and runs to the endzone for a 60-yard rushing touchdown during the Saints' 39-32 victory. Hill ran for three touchdowns, as well as throwing for another, as the Saints ended a three-game losing streak.
David Zalubowski/AP
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. is tripped up by Denver Broncos cornerback K'Waun Williams. It was a rare glimpse of offense in a
lackluster 12-9 win for the Colts.
Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP
A protester meets the full force of Los Angeles Rams defensive end Takkarist McKinley, left, and linebacker Bobby Wagner during the Monday night game against the San Francisco 49ers on October 3. "He looked like he wasn't supposed to be on the field," Wagner told reporters after the game. "I saw security was having a little problem -- so I helped him out." The 49ers went on to dominate the Rams behind a stout defense that had seven sacks and an interception, winning 24-9 to move to 2-2 on the season.
Abbie Parr/AP
The Las Vegas Raiders earned their first win of the 2022 season when they beat the Denver Broncos 32-23 in front of their home crowd. The Raiders relied on a heavy run game, led by Josh Jacobs' 144 yards and two TDs on 28 carries.
Jeff Dean/AP
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was
taken off the field on a stretcher during the game against the Cincinnati Bengals, after suffering apparent head and neck injuries. The incident had a lot of fall out with the NFL beginning a review on allowing Tagovailoa to play, the Dolphins being criticized widely and the National Football League Players Association
reportedly terminating the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant who was involved in the evaluation of Tagovailoa for a concussion during their game against the Buffalo Bills.
Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray runs in a touchdown in the fourth against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on October 2 in Charlotte. Murray's TD was part of a fourth quarter flurry which saw the Cards pull away from the Panthers to go .500 on the year so far.
Matt Slocum/AP
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence is brought down by Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Kyzir White in the second half of the Eagles' 29-21 win in Philly. The Eagles are now 4-0 after Week 4.
Paul Childs/Action Images/Reuters
Fireworks and pyrotechnics go off ahead of the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints clash in London — the NFL's 100th international game. The Vikings won the game when the Saints' "double doink" kick — when the ball hits two parts of the uprights on a scoring attempt — fell short and let Minnesota return to the US with the 28-25 win.
Jasen Vinlove/USA Today
The most bizarre incident of Week 3 occurred with the Miami Dolphins backed up in their own endzone. On their own one-yard line, needing to punt the ball away with restricted space available, punter Thomas Morstead kicked the ball off teammate Trent Sherfield's backside and out of bounds for a safety. Dubbed "butt punt" by many on social media, the flub ultimately didn't cost Miami as it won 21-19 over the Buffalo Bills.
David Richard/AP
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens makes a sensational, one-handed catch over Cleveland Browns cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. on September 22. Unfortunately for Pickens, the
Steelers lost 29-17 after the Browns bounced back from an embarrassing Week 2 loss to the New York Jets.
Chris O'Meara/AP
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Breshad Perriman fumbles after catching a pass during the first half against the Green Bay Packers in Week 3. The fumble was one of two lost by the Bucs on the day, helping the Packers win a tight affair, 14-12, in Tampa Bay.
Megan Briggs/Getty Images
Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa sits on the turf in the second quarter of Miami's game against the Buffalo Bills. Tagovailoa was tackled by Matt Milano and his head hit the ground, causing the Miami man to be taken into the locker room to be evaluated for a concussion. He eventually came back to lead the Dolphins to victory, but the
NFLPA is initiating a review of the injury and medical evaluation.
Jerry Holt/AP
Who knew Lions could fly? Detroit wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown soars over Minnesota Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson to pick up a first down at the two-yard line in the first quarter of their Week 3 clash. The Vikings won the game, 28-24, led by Kirk Cousins' 260 yards passing and two TD tosses, to go to 2-1 on the year.
Jonathan Bachman/AP
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore get into an altercation during the second half of the Bucs' chippy 20-10 win over the Saints in Week 2. The win snapped Brady's personal seven-game losing streak against the Saints.
Julio Cortez/AP
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Devin Duvernay gave the home crowd something to cheer for when he returned the opening kickoff 103 yards to score a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins on September 18. Despite the feat, the Ravens went on to lose 42-38 after being outscored by 25 in the fourth quarter.
Tony Avelar/AP
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo celebrates with his teammates during the second half of a 27-7 win against the Seattle Seahawks on September 18. Garoppolo came on as a substitute after starter Trey Lance went down for the year with a fractured ankle and threw for 154 yards and one touchdown -- and rushed for another -- on 13/21 passing.
Scott Galvin/USA Today Sports
The Cleveland Browns run the ball across midfield against the New York Jets during the first quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Browns ended up losing 31-30 after being up by 13 points with 1:55 remaining in the game. Jets QB Joe Flacco threw for 307 yards and four TDs — including two in the final two minutes of the game — to carry the Jets. Sunday's game saw the return of "Brownie the Elf" to the Browns' home field. The logo was initially used by the Browns in their inaugural season in 1946 but fell out of favor in the 60s, returning when the franchise was brought back to Cleveland in 1999.
David Becker/AP
Arizona Cardinals cornerback Byron Murphy Jr., left, picks up a fumble and returns it for the winning touchdown during overtime of a dramatic 29-23 win against the Las Vegas Raiders on September 18.
Joshua A. Bickel/AP
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow throws during the first half against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1 on September 11 in Cincinnati. Burrow would go on to have five turnovers on the day — four interceptions and a lost fumble — in a 23-20 loss.
AAron Ontiveroz/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images
Seattle Seahawks fans make noise as Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos prepares to take a snap during a failed game-winning drive on September 12. It was Wilson's
first game back in Seattle since leaving for Denver after 10 years with the Seahawks. Seattle won 17-16.
Rusty Jones/AP
Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb makes a run in the red zone against the Carolina Panthers on September 11 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Chubb had 141 yards on 22 carries in a tight 26-24 win for the Browns.
Gary A. Vasquez/USA Today Sports/Reuters
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen stiff-arms Los Angeles Rams safety Nick Scott in the third quarter of a massive 31-10 win against the defending Super Bowl champions at SoFi Stadium. The statement victory on NFL Opening Day shows the
Bills are serious contenders for the title in 2022.
Erik S. Lesser/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas makes a reception against Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell in the second half of their game in Atlanta on September 11. Thomas had two touchdown catches on the day as the Saints outscored the Falcons by 14 in the fourth to win 27-26.
He began the season where he’d left the previous one off, establishing a then-NFL record of 23 field goals converted in a row which began at the end of the 1981 season.
Moseley’s legend was further enhanced with two deadeye performances in the first two weeks of the season – including a game-winning display against the Philadelphia Eagles.
However, just as he was getting into a rhythm, the NFL season came to an abrupt stop.
After Week 2, the league’s players went on strike for 57 days as the US’ biggest sport ground to a halt due to a pay dispute with team owners.
“At the beginning, we really didn’t know how to handle it. It was different because we had never just not been playing during the season. It was something brand new to most of us,” he said.
“That was one of the great things about that team during those years under coach Gibbs: that we were a real close family and the players stayed together. We actually started having practices ourselves at a park over in Virginia.
“And we were getting together every morning as a team and running plays and doing practice, running defense, offense, doing the things that we needed to do to keep ourselves together.”
When the NFL season did resume, it was shortened to just nine games and a 16-team postseason tournament.
He went 20-of-21 on field goals, setting a then-record of 95.2% completion, including a number of game-winning displays.
In Week 6, he scored all Washington’s points with four field goals in a 12-7 win over the St. Louis Cardinals (now, the Arizona Cardinals), and a week later, successfully made two fourth-quarter kicks to lift the Redskins over the New York Giants.
His end-of-game heroics helped lift his Washington team to an 8-1 record and built a compelling narrative around Moseley.
Even so, Moseley says that he never heard any buzz around awards heading his way until he got the call that he’d been nominated as an MVP finalist.
“I was shocked. A kicker had never even been nominated, much less win it. And when I was nominated, I was shocked.”
In hindsight, Moseley thinks that his nomination was helped in part due to the shortened season and that no single player had stood out.
“Usually, every year there’s one or two people that really stand out: quarterbacks, running backs, defensive linemen, somebody like that really stand out,” he said.
“And for some reason that year, being that it was a strike year and no one, there were a few guys that had really good seasons, don’t get me wrong – Dan Fouts and John Riggins and some of those guys that were in the final five, they had outstanding seasons and they all deserved to be the MVP.”
Despite struggling somewhat in the postseason, Moseley’s momentum to win the award continued to build.
Combined with some headline-making moments he was accumulating and the “oddity” of a kicker making it to the final five, Moseley was now seemingly a favorite to win.
He remembers a comment from Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro linebacker Jack Hamm which strengthened his belief that he just might be named the first kicker to win the famous award.
“‘It really hurts me to have to vote for a kicker as our MVP, but I’ve got to do it because you earned it,’” Moseley remembers Hamm telling him.
In the end, the week before Washington took to the field to face the Dolphins at Super Bowl XVII at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, Moseley got the phone call to confirm his historic personal achievement.
Although he says being an NFL MVP “opens some doors,” his ring for winning a championship title means a lot more to him personally.
“Just us winning a Super Bowl, I’ve always been a team player. I came up playing football, doing it all. In high school and college, I played both ways, both offense and defense and kicking, which is something that I could always do well,” he said.
“And it wasn’t until I was drafted into the pros by the Philadelphia Eagles that I decided: ‘Well, maybe I better start concentrating on kicking.’ So it was kind of a shock, but it was something that I was proud that I had been able to accomplish.”
The NFL’s MVP award has since become an award dominated by quarterbacks. Such is the prominence of the position and the pressure resting on their shoulders, voters have decided time and again that the winner of the award should be a signal caller.
In its 65-year history, the MVP award has been won by just 18 non-quarterbacks – with Jim Brown winning it three times. Only two defensive players have won the award: defensive tackle Alan Page in 1971 and linebacker Lawrence Taylor in 1986.
“To be honest with you, I don’t think that it would probably happen again,” reflects Moseley of his MVP award.
“However, the kickers today are doing a phenomenal job there. They’ve really improved and the quality of the kick, the percentages are way up there, they’re kicking longer field goals. But I don’t know that a kicker will ever have that opportunity to be named MVP again.”