Most people know the situation by now. The MVP award may stand for Most Valuable Player, but the belief is it should just be renamed to "Most Valuable Quarterback." The last time a non-QB won the honor was 2012 when Adrian Peterson had the second-highest rushing mark for a single season in history with 2,097 yards. That's what it took. Defenders? Forget it. Someone like Khalil Mack wouldn't even get consideration.
Then again crazy stuff always happens in the NFL. A kicker won MVP in 1982. Granted, it was a different time but all one needs is the right set of circumstances to make something happen. Bill Barnwell of ESPN believes that the possibility of a defensive player winning MVP is not non-existent, but it would take a remarkable series of achievements to secure.
Mack is one of those he believes has the best chance to make it happen.
"That player is also going to need to hit some significant number as part of a very successful team defense. Taylor's Giants went 14-2 while allowing 14.8 points per game, the second-fewest total in the league. Taylor also became just the second player in the brief (official) history of the sack statistic to top 20 sacks in a single season, after Mark Gastineau hit 22.0 sacks in 1984.
The record currently stands at 22.5 sacks, and an MVP-winning edge rusher would almost certainly have to re-set that mark. Before the 2017 season, Khalil Mack and Von Miller speculated that they could each rack up 30 sacks in a single campaign. I laid out why that was unlikely at the time, but 25 sacks is more plausible and would still be a dramatic increase on the old record."
Khalil Mack would put a stamp on his career with this feat
Mack has produced a career-high of 15 sacks to this point. It was enough to win him Defensive Player of the Year in 2016. However, the belief is he's capable of much more. It's all about getting the right circumstances. The man himself stated recently that he wants to be recognized as one of the best to ever do it. He even listed Lawrence Taylor as his benchmark.
The highest sack total in Bears franchise history belongs to Richard Dent. He had 17.5 in 1984, the same year the team set the NFL record with 72 in a season. Mack currently plays on a defense loaded with talent. Maybe not quite at the level of back then, but still one of the best of the Super Bowl era.
Throw in the fact he's now under the direction of Chuck Pagano, a noted pass rush specialist and things are looking prime for him. All it takes is the right setup and being able to get hot early enough to make that run. If the Bears can also deliver a great season and make a deep playoff trip? This is certainly possible.
