Rams RB Todd Gurley Praises Teammates, Coaches on Pro Bowl Season

ORLANDO, FL – It has happened only once in the last decade that a running back in the NFL has earned the league’s honors as most valuable player, but this year that trend may change.

That is because Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley put together an impressive bounce back campaign in 2017 while racking up over 2,000 all-purpose yards and 19 touchdowns as he was the motor driving the offense in the team’s first playoff berth in 13 years. According to USA Today’s final poll of the season, Gurley was the frontrunner to win the MVP award.

Gurley would become the first running back since Adrian Peterson did it in 2012 to receive the status of top player in the league. That year, Peterson eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark for rushing and scored 13 touchdowns.

“It’s cool, obviously running backs aren’t involved in that discussion very often,” Gurley said after a Pro Bowl practice on Friday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando. “Being considered for (the most valuable player) means a lot to me. I owe a lot of thanks to my teammates and coaches for helping me get in that position.”

As the season wore on, Gurley seemed to get stronger as first-year head coach Sean McVay increased the focus of the offense around him as he averaged more than 23 touches over the final five games. Over that span, Gurley registered more than 100 total yards in each game and eight touchdowns.

“He’s a great coach; you’ve seen what he’s done with the Washington Redskins’ offense and now you’re seeing it here,” suggested Gurley.

“It’s always good when you’re winning,” he added. “No one wants to lose.”

After a disappointing year in 2016 in which Gurley logged a meager 3.2 yards per carry, he has reasserted himself as one of the top running backs in the league. However, he used last year’s campaign as an example of life in the NFL and did not let that discourage him from making improvements to his game.

“You just have to stay patient and keep working hard,” Gurley explained. “Every year is not going to great year; every game is not going to be a great game. You just have to learn to maintain your focus and keep improving your game.”

After all, Gurley is no stranger to overcoming adversity. In his final season with the Georgia Bulldogs, he tore his ACL while in the midst of enjoying a strong junior year and was in consideration for the Heisman Trophy.

“Obviously no one wants to get hurt, but this was an injury that I knew I could come back from,” said Gurley. “That’s just a part of sports. There are always going to be speedbumps in the road that you just have to overcome and appreciate the accomplishments (in your career) such as the Pro Bowl this week.”

The second-time Pro Bowler said that this week has been ‘such a cool experience’ for him in Orlando.

Photos by Sean Conklin