List of NFL MVP awards
The National Football League Most Valuable Player Award (NFL MVP) is given by various entities, most notably the Associated Press (AP),[1] to the player who is considered most valuable in the league. The AP NFL MVP has been shared three times, in 1960, 1997, and 2003.[2] The award has been won multiple times by a single player, but Jim Brown Johnny Unitas Brett Favre and Peyton Manning all won the award three times in their careers, the most of any NFL players.
On January 2, 2009, the AP released a list of the Associated Press Most Valuable Players that lists winners from 1961 to the current winner, Peyton Manning. [3] Presently the Associated Press is maintaining that the MVP award began in 1961. [4] It is possible that this is a reaction to an article published at Pro Football Weekly [5] that suggests the AP awards as listed by the AP were incorrect. As recently as January, 2, 1959, [6] the AP listed the 1957 MVP as Jim Brown, the 1958 winner as Gino Marchetti, the 1959 winner as Charlie Conerly and the 1960 winners as Norm Van Brocklin and Joe Schmidt. The Pro Football Weekly.com article disputes the 1958, 1959, and 1960 winners. Since, as the PFW article points out the AP began using the term "MVP" in 1961 it seems the pre-1960 winners are no longer considered "MVPs" but "Players of the Year". [7]
Associated Press NFL MVP Award
Pro Football Writers Association NFL MVP Award
Historical Awards
Joe F. Carr Trophy
The NFL awarded the Joe F. Carr Trophy (named after the league president, 1921-39) to the league's MVP from 1938 to 1946.
| Season | Player | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | Mel Hein | New York Giants | Center |
| 1939 | Parker Hall | Cleveland Rams | Halfback |
| 1940 | Ace Parker | Brooklyn Dodgers | Halfback |
| 1941 | Don Hutson | Green Bay Packers | End |
| 1942 | Don Hutson (2) | Green Bay Packers | End |
| 1943 | Sid Luckman | Chicago Bears | Quarterback |
| 1944 | Frank Sinkwich | Detroit Lions | Halfback |
| 1945 | Bob Waterfield | Cleveland Rams | Quarterback |
| 1946 | Bill Dudley | Pittsburgh Steelers | Halfback |
United Press International NFL MVP Award
United Press International gave an NFL MVP Award from 1948 through 1969, excepting 1949-50, and 1952. Beginning in 1970 UPI awarded separate awards for the NFC and AFC. In 1975 UPI added a Defensive Player of the Year Award for both the NFC and AFC.
| Season | Player | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | Pat Harder | Chicago Cardinals | Fullback [10] |
| 1949 | No Selection | ||
| 1950 | No Selection | ||
| 1951 | Otto Graham | Cleveland Browns | Quarterback |
| 1952 | No Selection | ||
| 1953 | Otto Graham (2) | Cleveland Browns | Quarterback |
| 1954 | Joe Perry | San Francisco 49ers | Fullback |
| 1955 | Otto Graham (3) | Cleveland Browns | Quarterback |
| 1956 | Frank Gifford | New York Giants | Halfback |
| 1957 | Y. A. Tittle | San Francisco 49ers | Quarterback |
| 1958 | Jim Brown | Cleveland Browns | Fullback |
| 1959 | Johnny Unitas | Baltimore Colts | Quarterback |
| 1960 | Norm Van Brocklin | Philadelphia Eagles | Quarterback |
| 1961 | Paul Hornung | Green Bay Packers | Halfback |
| 1962 | Y. A. Tittle | New York Giants | Quarterback |
| 1963 | Jim Brown (2) | Cleveland Browns | Fullback |
| 1964 | Johnny Unitas (2) | Baltimore Colts | Quarterback |
| 1965 | Jim Brown (3) | Cleveland Browns | Fullback |
| 1966 | Bart Starr | Green Bay Packers | Quarterback |
| 1967 | Johnny Unitas (3) | Baltimore Colts | Quarterback |
| 1968 | Earl Morrall | Baltimore Colts | Quarterback |
| 1969 | Roman Gabriel | Los Angeles Rams | Quarterback |
Newspaper Enterprise Association NFL MVP Award
This award ran from 1955 through 1996 and was a poll of NFL players.[11] The award winner is presented with the Jim Thorpe Trophy (not to be confused with collegiate football's Jim Thorpe Award). Beginning in 1997 the Jim Thorpe Trophy was presented by the Jim Thorpe Association, with the winner determined by a "vote of NFLPA representatives". [12]
Notes
- ^ When the NFL MVP is referred to without mentioning the source it is generally the Associated Press.
- ^ Wilner, Barry (January 3, 2004). "Colts' Manning, Titans' McNair share honor". Deseret News (Salt Lake City). Associated Press. Retrieved 2009-01-02.
- ^ NFL.com
- ^ NFL.com
- ^ Correcting the Record of the 'NFL Record & Fact Book
- ^ ESPN.com
- ^ Correcting the Record of the 'NFL Record & Fact Book
- ^ It is a common misconception that Gino Marchetti was the Associated Press Most Valuable Player in 1958. In fact, sources such as NFL.com and others list him as such.[1][2] The actual winner was Jim Brown, with 22 votes. Marchetti was the AP NFL Lineman of the Year, an award that existed from 1956 through 1960. Most current newspapers reprint the annual Associated Press release, which at some point apparently confused the awards for the 1958 season.
- ^ It is a contended that Charlie Conerly was the Associated Press Most Valuable Player in 1959. Conerly was the winner of the Newspaper Ent. Assoc. MVP not the AP MVP. Unitas won both the AP MVP and the United Press MVP. [3]
- ^ Modesto Bee, December 17, 1948, pg. 17
- ^ Along with the AP, UPI, the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) MVP was considered official and was in the honors section of the NFL Record and Fact Book and its awards are listed in Total Football and Total Football II. The Awards appeared in the World Almanac from the early 1960s though 1996.
- ^ Jim Thorpe Association Yearbook, 2007.