5 unsung heroes of the 2021 NFL season
The 2021 NFL season was one of the most exciting in recent years and culminated with the Los Angeles Rams winning the Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals. Many of the league's superstars stood out, including Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers, who took home his second consecutive NFL MVP award.
But for all the stars strutting their stuff, there were just as many under-the-radar players across the league who had fantastic seasons in 2021. Here are five of them.
Five heroes of the 2021 NFL season that remained unacclaimed
#5 - Tyler Boyd
The Cincinnati Bengals made it to the Super Bowl in 2021, and as Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins took home plenty of the credit, the team's unsung hero was Tyler Boyd.
In the regular season, Boyd had 828 receiving yards and five touchdowns and caught a crucial touchdown in the Bengals' AFC Wildcard playoff victory against the Las Vegas Raiders. Also, before the Divisional Round, quarterback Joe Burrow owned a perfect passer rating when targeting Boyd on intermediate passes.
#4 - Cordarrelle Patterson
Cordarrelle Patterson came into the 2021 season as an elite special-teamer but never established himself as a starter on offense. The Atlanta Falcons took a punt on him during the offseason, and the move paid off as Patterson had career-highs in both receiving and rushing yards.
Patterson had 548 receiving yards, 618 rushing yards, and 11 total touchdowns. He was unfortunate to miss out on the 2021 Pro Bowl.
This fan got their wish!
The #Falcons have agreed to terms with WR/RB/S Cordarrelle Patterson to return to Atlanta, per @MikeGarafolo. https://t.co/NwZZFv54zV