Record-Setting Faulk Is NFL MVP
S T. L O U I S, Dec. 28, 2000 -- Marshall Faulk spotted the rest of the leaguetwo games and still won the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award goingaway.
“He’s the greatest player in the NFL and that’s something that’s obvious to us,” St. Louis Rams tight end Roland Williams said. “We’re glad everybody else can see it.”
Faulk was a last-minute scratch for Rams’ game against Carolinain Week 9 when loose cartilage locked up in his right knee, and heunderwent arthroscopic surgery the following day. He missed thenext game and the Rams used him sparingly the two games after that,which didn’t keep him from setting an NFL record with 26 touchdownsand topping 2,000 yards rushing and receiving the second straightseason.
The first half of the season, Faulk was probably the MVPfavorite.
“I think once I got injured the talk went away,” Faulk said.“Just deciding to get it done when I did was probably the bestthing I did. I guess it was just good timing on our part.”
Last season, teammate Kurt Warner was the MVP.
“The guy, I felt, deserved it as much as anybody last year, anddefinitely deserves it this year,” Warner said. “He’d get my vote every year.”
Back in Form After Injury
Faulk, 27, received 24 votes from a nationwide panel of 50sports writers and broadcasters. Philadelphia quarterback DonovanMcNabb (11) was second, followed by Tennessee running back EddieGeorge (8), Oakland quarterback Rich Gannon (5), Indianapolisquarterback Peyton Manning (1) and Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis(1).
Faulk set the NFL record with 2,429 yards last year. This yearhe set a record with three four-TD games and totaled 2,189 yards,second behind Edgerrin James’ 2,303.
In the last three games, the drive to the playoffs for thedefending Super Bowl champions, Faulk totaled 11 touchdowns and 572yards rushing and receiving. He saved the best for last, rushingfor 220 yards and catching seven passes for 41 yards in a victoryover the Saints that, combined with the Bears’ upset of the Lions,put the Rams in the postseason.
“I think these last three weeks I found myself back to where Iwas before I got hurt,” Faulk said. “I could feel the difference.I could see the difference. As that happened, my workloadincreased.”
‘The Most Unselfish Professional Athlete’
His game isn’t just statistics. Coach Mike Martz has oftencomplimented Faulk for his on-field awareness and leadership offthe field, and he doesn’t mind doing the little things.
“He does everything so well,” general manager Charley Armeysaid. “He had three or four really big blocks in the Saints game,he picks up the blitz real well and lead blocks when he has to.
“I don’t know if anybody has ever had a ballplayer that coulddo everything as well as he can do it.”
Martz knew Faulk was different early last season, his first withthe Rams. Faulk played a minor role in a victory at Cincinnati inWeek 3, touching the ball 14 times for only 40 yards, but didn’tneed an apology.
“A player of his stature, invariably in professional sports,has this certain amount of selfishness and that lower lip starts tohang,” Martz said. “That’s not Marshall at all.
“He’s the most unselfish professional athlete I think I’ve ever been around.”
Faulk, the 1999 Offensive Player of the Year, is the 14thrunning back to be voted MVP. He joins such Hall of Fame runners asJim Brown, Walter Payton, Jim Taylor, Paul Hornung, Earl Campbelland Marcus Allen.
“There’s not too many of those guys that you won’t see in the Hall of Fame, or those guys that didn’t [make it], got everythingout of every play on every down,” Faulk said. “It’s goodcompany.”