National Football League Most Valuable Player Award: A Historical Look
The National Football League (NFL) boasts a rich history dating back to 1920. However, the prestigious Most Valuable Player (MVP) award wasn’t introduced until 1938. Initially, there wasn’t a single, unified MVP award. Different organizations like the Associated Press (AP) and Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) presented their own MVP trophies. It wasn’t until 2011, with the NFL Honors ceremony, that the AP MVP became the league’s official recognition of the regular season’s most valuable player.
This Journey Through NFL MVP History Reveals Some Fascinating Trends:
- Quarterback Domination: In recent decades, quarterbacks have emerged as the most dominant force in the MVP race. Since 1990, only running backs Adrian Peterson (2012) and LaDainian Tomlinson (2006) have managed to win the award. This dominance is likely due to the ever-increasing offensive focus in the modern NFL, where quarterbacks orchestrate the entire attack.
- Repeat Performers: A select group of players has etched their names in MVP lore with multiple wins. Peyton Manning holds the record with a staggering five MVP awards, followed by Aaron Rodgers with four. Legends like Tom Brady, Jim Brown, Brett Favre, and Johnny Unitas have also secured multiple MVP titles.
- Early Days of Diversity: Interestingly, the pre-1990 era saw a wider range of positions claiming the MVP title. Running backs, fullbacks, defensive players, and even a placekicker (Mark Moseley in 1982) have received the honor. This highlights the more balanced nature of the game in those earlier years.
Complete List of National Football League Most Valuable Player Award Winners:
Year | Winner (Position) | Team
2023: Lamar Jackson (Quarterback – Baltimore Ravens)
2022: Patrick Mahomes (Quarterback – Kansas City Chiefs)
2021: Aaron Rodgers (Quarterback – Green Bay Packers)
2020: Aaron Rodgers (Quarterback – Green Bay Packers)
2019: Lamar Jackson (Quarterback – Baltimore Ravens)
2018: Patrick Mahomes (Quarterback – Kansas City Chiefs)
2017: Tom Brady (Quarterback – New England Patriots)
2016: Matt Ryan (Quarterback – Atlanta Falcons)
2015: Cam Newton (Quarterback – Carolina Panthers)
2014: Aaron Rodgers (Quarterback – Green Bay Packers)
2013: Peyton Manning (Quarterback – Denver Broncos)
2012: Adrian Peterson (Running Back – Minnesota Vikings)
2011: Aaron Rodgers (Quarterback – Green Bay Packers)
2010: Tom Brady (Quarterback – New England Patriots)
2009: Peyton Manning (Quarterback – Indianapolis Colts)
2008: Peyton Manning (Quarterback – Indianapolis Colts)
2007: Tom Brady (Quarterback – New England Patriots)
2006: LaDainian Tomlinson (Running Back – San Diego Chargers)
2005: Shaun Alexander (Running Back – Seattle Seahawks)
2004: Peyton Manning (Quarterback – Indianapolis Colts)
2003: Peyton Manning (Quarterback – Indianapolis Colts)
2003: Steve McNair (Quarterback – Tennessee Titans)
2002: Rich Gannon (Quarterback – Oakland Raiders)
2001: Kurt Warner (Quarterback – St. Louis Rams)
2000: Marshall Faulk (Running Back – St. Louis Rams)
1999: Kurt Warner (Quarterback – St. Louis Rams)
1998: Terrell Davis (Running Back – Denver Broncos)
1997: Barry Sanders (Running Back – Detroit Lions)
1997: Brett Favre (Quarterback – Green Bay Packers)
1996: Brett Favre (Quarterback – Green Bay Packers)
1995: Brett Favre (Quarterback – Green Bay Packers)
1994: Steve Young (Quarterback – San Francisco 49ers)
1993: Emmitt Smith (Running Back – Dallas Cowboys)
1992: Steve Young (Quarterback – San Francisco 49ers)
1991: Thurman Thomas (Running Back – Buffalo Bills)
1990: Joe Montana (Quarterback – San Francisco 49ers)
1989: Joe Montana (Quarterback – San Francisco 49ers)
1988: Boomer Esiason (Quarterback – Cincinnati Bengals)
1987: John Elway (Quarterback – Denver Broncos)
1986: Lawrence Taylor (Linebacker – New York Giants)
1985: Marcus Allen (Running Back – Los Angeles Raiders)
1984: Dan Marino (Quarterback – Miami Dolphins)
1983: Joe Theismann (Quarterback – Washington Redskins)
1982: Mark Moseley (Placekicker – Washington Redskins)
1981: Ken Anderson (Quarterback – Cincinnati Bengals)
1980: Brian Sipe (Quarterback – Cleveland Browns)
1979: Earl Campbell (Running Back – Houston Oilers)
1978: Terry Bradshaw (Quarterback – Pittsburgh Steelers)
1977: Walter Payton (Running Back – Chicago Bears)
1976: Bert Jones (Quarterback – Baltimore Colts)
1975: Fran Tarkenton (Quarterback – Minnesota Vikings)
1974: Ken Stabler (Quarterback – Oakland Raiders)
1973: O.J. Simpson (Running Back – Buffalo Bills)
1972: Larry Brown (Running Back – Washington Redskins)
1971: Alan Page (Defensive Tackle – Minnesota Vikings)
1970: John Brodie (Quarterback – San Francisco 49ers)
1969: Roman Gabriel (Quarterback – Los Angeles Rams)
1968: Earl Morrall (Quarterback – Baltimore Colts)
1967: Johnny Unitas (Quarterback – Baltimore Colts)
1966: Bart Starr (Quarterback – Green Bay Packers)
1965: Jim Brown (Running Back – Cleveland Browns)
1964: Johnny Unitas (Quarterback – Baltimore Colts)
1963: Y.A. Tittle (Quarterback – New York Giants)
1962: Jim Taylor (Fullback – Green Bay Packers)
1961: Paul Hornung (Halfback – Green Bay Packers)
1960: Norm Van Brocklin (Quarterback – Philadelphia Eagles)
1959: Johnny Unitas (Quarterback – Baltimore Colts)
1958: Jim Brown (Running Back – Cleveland Browns)
1957: Jim Brown (Running Back – Cleveland Browns)
1956: Frank Gifford (Halfback – New York Giants)
1955: Otto Graham (Quarterback – Cleveland Browns)
1954: Joe Perry (Fullback – San Francisco 49ers)
1953: Otto Graham (Quarterback – Cleveland Browns)
1952: Joe Perry (Fullback – San Francisco 49ers)
1951: Norm Van Brocklin (Quarterback – Los Angeles Rams)
1950: Otto Graham (Quarterback – Cleveland Browns)
1949: Charley Conerly (Quarterback – New York Giants)
1948: Pat Harder (Fullback – Chicago Cardinals)
1947: Sammy Baugh (Quarterback – Washington Redskins)
1946: Bill Dudley (Halfback – Pittsburgh Steelers)
1945: Charley Trippi (Halfback – Chicago Cardinals)
1944: Frank Sinkwich (Halfback – Detroit Lions)
1943: Sid Luckman (Quarterback – Chicago Bears)
1942: Don Hutson (End – Green Bay Packers)
1941: Joe Foss (Defensive Back – New York Giants)
1940: Ace Parker (Quarterback – Brooklyn Dodgers)
1939: Parker Hall (Quarterback – Cleveland Rams)
1938: Bob Monnett (Halfback – Green Bay Packers)
1937: Ed Danowski (Quarterback – New York Giants)
1936: Joe F. Carter (Fullback – Detroit Lions)
Also Read: How Hard is To Be an NFL Player?
This list showcases the remarkable athletes who have left their mark on the NFL. It’s a testament to the ever-changing landscape of the game, where quarterbacks have become the central figures in the MVP conversation.
