Could Tyreek Hill become the first EVER wideout to win MVP? Explosive Dolphins star is on course to set the receiving yards record – and another Super Bowl is in reach – but 49ers QB Brock Purdy currently leads the way

Perhaps they should rename it MVQ. After all, the quarterback has been named the NFL’s regular season MVP 46 times since 1957.

Quarterbacks are the lifeblood of the NFL. They are his scarcest and most valuable commodity, and are accordingly protected and rewarded.

Of the highest-paid players this season, the top 15 are all quarterbacks. And 15 of the last 16 NFL MVP winners were quarterbacks, too.

Founded in its current form in 1957, the Associated Press surveys 50 sportswriters each year and the annual awards are presented in February. In a top team sport, it is recognition of individual excellence.

However, for a quarterback to not win MVP, it takes something different. The last time that happened was in 2012, when Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson rushed for 2,097 yards, a painful nine yards short of breaking Eric Dickerson’s season record.

In total, the runner held the gong 18 times. But only two defensive tackles have ever done it: Lawrence Taylor, the leading linebacker of the eighties, won it in the Giants’ Super Bowl-winning 1986 season, 15 years after defensive tackle Alan Page, leader of the Vikings Purple People Eaters. Heck, even a kicker has won it – Washington’s Mark Moseley in 1982.

But no wide receiver has ever done this. Not the great Jerry Rice. Not Randy Moss, not Larry Fitzgerald, not Steve Largent. In 2012, Calvin “Megatron” Johnson set a regular season record with 1,964 receiving yards. But the Lions legend was supported by Peterson.

So could this finally be the year a player wins MVP?

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill was on track to break the 2,000-yard barrier last year, but his bid was derailed by multiple — many of them gruesome — injuries to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

However, Hill set a career-high 1,710 receiving yards on 119 catches after catching passes from Tagovailoa and backing up Teddy Bridgewater and Skylar Thompson as the Dolphins went 9-8 and lost to the Bills on the weekend wild card

Buoyed by Tagovailoa’s return and the prospect of a second year under the captivating McDaniel, Hill outlined his goals for 2023 ahead of this season.

“Next year I’ll hit 2,000 yards, bro,” he said. “All I’m saying is, it was on my bucket list to get 2,000 yards, bro, before I leave this league. And do you think that Cheetah will leave without doing what he promised himself to do as a child?

“I got you, baby; 2,000 yards and another Super Bowl, we’ll get it. Believe it,” he added.

Hill is not your prototypical receiver. At less than six feet tall, he lacks the height and wingspan of Moss or Rice. But he is elusive and blessed with reliable hands and explosive speed.

After 12 games, Hill has 1,324 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. He has a career-high 2,046 receiving yards, albeit through his 17th regular season game. Hill leads the league in receiving yards and has 299 yards over the next closest competitor, CeeDee Lamb of the Dallas Cowboys.

With the Dolphins 9-3 and great balance in the suddenly wide-open AFC, anything is possible.

Miami has the No. 1 ranked offense and head coach Mike McDaniel designs innovative, high-octane plays that force defenses to use their poison.

Try to stop a well-drilled, destructive ground game, Dolphins fly through the air. Come on man, they’ll still be flying through the air, using a solid offensive line, plenty of prep moves, Tagovailoa’s quick release and Hill’s lightning speed to intimidate and confuse opponents.

McDaniel spoke about Hill’s unique skill set last month. “Everyone knows Tyreek is fast,” he said. “And in that sense he is an extraordinary athlete, but it requires extreme concentration and reliability, it takes a lot of hours of work to be able to perform at this level.”

“Every team you play knows you’re trying to get him the ball, so he sees creative coverage all the time and it speaks to him.”

Hill hinted in October that Tagovailoa was the team’s true MVP, saying, “I’m just a high-energy kid. I’m the guy who brings life. I’m the guy who lifts (the players). Basically, I’m a hype person. “He is an artist, and I am an advertiser. I’m just here to support him. Without Tua, none of this would be possible. I would still overclock it a little, but I probably wouldn’t have the same numbers.”

History shows that Hill may well be right. The NFL will likely name another defensive player as its Most Valuable Player.

It depends on how things go, but at the end of this strange, injury-ravaged stretch, Brock Purdy, Jalen Hurts, current titleholder Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Dak Prescott and Tagovailoa could have a strong case.

Purdy is the bookmakers’ current favorite. In a potentially season-defining win over the Eagles, Purdy completed 70 percent of his passes for 314 yards and four touchdowns without an interception or even a turnover-worthy play.

This season, Purdy has completed 70.2 percent of his passes for 3,185 yards with 23 touchdowns and six interceptions. He leads the NFL in completion percentage, yards per attempt (9.6) and passer rating. Not bad for a final pick in the 2022 draft.

However, as incredible as he is, Purdy may not be the most valuable player on the 49ers roster. That award could go to All Pro left tackle Trent Williams, versatile receiver Deebo Samuel or equally versatile running back Christian McCaffrey.

Described by head coach Kyle Shanahan as an “All-Pro pass rusher,” McCaffrey has 16 total touchdowns (11 on the ground, five through the air) and leads the NFL with 939 yards.

He’s on track to rack up 2,052 all-purpose yards but does equal damage to opposing teams when he doesn’t have the ball.

“Christian is the best player I’ve ever played with without a ball in his hand,” Shanahan said. “It’s just the little things he does that make me so obsessed. Like, yes, anyone can make fakes, but he goes to the extreme, and it’s incredible.”

“Yeah, I think without a doubt,” Shanahan said when asked about McCaffrey’s MVP status. “I know that most of the time it goes to the quarterbacks, and there are a lot of decent quarterbacks, but you definitely can’t say Christian is behind anyone. He’s as valuable in this league as anyone.”

And this is the whole point of the award.