New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas made history last season. His 149 receptions in 2019 set an NFL record, while he also led the league—and put up one of the top totals of all time—with 1,725 receiving yards. Thomas made another bit of history as well, when he was named Offensive Player of the Year, becoming the first wide receiver to win the award since Jerry Rice did so in 1993.
Wide receiver is a position that is often left out of major awards. It had been nearly three decades since one had won OPOY before 2019, and never before has a receiver been named MVP.