Creation of the MVP Character
Conrad Thompson of AdFreeShows.com spoke to former WWE creative team member Andrew Goldstein for The Insiders podcast, revealing how Dusty Rhodes came up with the idea for the MVP gimmick in WWE, inspired by an NFL star.
Goldstein discussed how Rhodes would come up with gimmicks and characters for stars in developmental, citing MVP as a prime example:
You could just see the wheel spinning, I mean, the best example of that is MVP
MVP was in developmental at the time, with a rudimentary version of his character. Goldstein, an Eagles fan, noted the influence of NFL star Terrell Owens on the MVP gimmick, which included a full body suit and sports-styled presentation.
Author's summary: NFL star inspired MVP character.