NFL Most Valuable Player Award Facts for Kids

Peyton Manning was named AP NFL MVP five times, more than any other player in history.

The National Football League Most Valuable Player Award (NFL MVP) is an award given by various entities to the American football player who is considered the most valuable in the National Football League (NFL) during the regular season. Organizations which issue an NFL MVP award include the Associated Press (AP) and the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). Since the 2011 season, the NFL has held the annual NFL Honors ceremony, which recognizes the winner of the Associated Press MVP award.

The first award described as a most valuable player award was the Joe F. Carr Trophy, presented by the NFL from 1938 to 1946. Other organizations that previously issued an MVP include Sporting News and United Press International (UPI). The Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) awarded the Jim Thorpe Trophy.

List of winners

^	Denotes year in which a player swept all given awards

Year	AP	PFWA	Sporting News	Jim Thorpe Trophy	Joe F. Carr Trophy	UPI
1938	—	—	—	—	Mel Hein	—
1939	—	—	—	—	Parker Hall	—
1940	—	—	—	—	Ace Parker	—
1941	—	—	—	—	Don Hutson	—
1942	—	—	—	—	Don Hutson (2)	—
1943	—	—	—	—	Sid Luckman	—
1944	—	—	—	—	Frank Sinkwich	—
1945	—	—	—	—	Bob Waterfield	—
1946	—	—	—	—	Bill Dudley	—
1947	—	—	—	—	—	—
1948	—	—	—	—	—	Pat Harder
1949	—	—	—	—	—	—
1950	—	—	—	—	—	—
1951	—	—	—	—	—	Otto Graham
1952	—	—	—	—	—	—
1953	—	—	—	—	—	Otto Graham (2)
1954	—	—	Lou Groza	—	—	Joe Perry
1955	—	—	Otto Graham	Harlon Hill	—	Otto Graham (3)
1956	—	—	Frank Gifford	Frank Gifford	—	Frank Gifford
1957	Jim Brown	—	Jim Brown	Johnny Unitas	—	Y. A. Tittle
1958	Jim Brown (2)	—	Jim Brown (2)	Jim Brown	—	Jim Brown
1959	Johnny Unitas	—	Johnny Unitas	Charlie Conerly	—	Johnny Unitas
1960	Norm Van Brocklin	—	Norm Van Brocklin	Norm Van Brocklin	—	Norm Van Brocklin
1961	Paul Hornung	—	Paul Hornung	Y. A. Tittle	—	Paul Hornung
1962	Jim Taylor	—	Y. A. Tittle	Jim Taylor	—	Y. A. Tittle (2)
1963	Y. A. Tittle	—	Y. A. Tittle (2)	Y. A. Tittle (2) Jim Brown (2)	—	Jim Brown (2)
1964	Johnny Unitas (2)	—	Johnny Unitas (2)	Lenny Moore	—	Johnny Unitas (2)
1965	Jim Brown (3)	—	Jim Brown (3)	Jim Brown (3)	—	Jim Brown (3)
1966	Bart Starr	Bart Starr	Bart Starr	Bart Starr	—	Bart Starr
1967	Johnny Unitas (3)	—	Johnny Unitas (3)	Johnny Unitas (2)	—	Johnny Unitas (3)
1968	Earl Morrall	—	Earl Morrall	Earl Morrall	—	Earl Morrall
1969	Roman Gabriel	—	Roman Gabriel	Roman Gabriel	—	Roman Gabriel
1970	John Brodie	—	—	John Brodie	—	—
1971	Alan Page	—	—	Bob Griese	—	—
1972	Larry Brown	—	—	Larry Brown	—	—
1973	O. J. Simpson	—	—	O. J. Simpson	—	—
1974	Ken Stabler	—	—	Ken Stabler	—	—
1975	Fran Tarkenton	Fran Tarkenton	—	Fran Tarkenton	—	—
1976	Bert Jones	Bert Jones	—	Bert Jones	—	—
1977	Walter Payton	Walter Payton	—	Walter Payton	—	—
1978	Terry Bradshaw	Earl Campbell	—	Earl Campbell	—	—
1979	Earl Campbell	Earl Campbell (2)	—	Earl Campbell (2)	—	—
1980	Brian Sipe	Brian Sipe	Brian Sipe	Earl Campbell (3)	—	—
1981	Ken Anderson	Ken Anderson	Ken Anderson	Ken Anderson	—	—
1982	Mark Moseley	Dan Fouts	Mark Moseley	Dan Fouts	—	—
1983	Joe Theismann	Joe Theismann	Eric Dickerson	Joe Theismann	—	—
1984	Dan Marino	Dan Marino	Dan Marino	Dan Marino	—	—
1985	Marcus Allen	Marcus Allen	Marcus Allen	Walter Payton (2)	—	—
1986	Lawrence Taylor	Lawrence Taylor	Lawrence Taylor	Phil Simms	—	—
1987	John Elway	Jerry Rice	Jerry Rice	Jerry Rice	—	—
1988	Boomer Esiason	Boomer Esiason	Boomer Esiason	Roger Craig	—	—
1989	Joe Montana	Joe Montana	Joe Montana	Joe Montana	—	—
1990	Joe Montana (2)	Randall Cunningham	Jerry Rice (2)	Warren Moon	—	—
1991	Thurman Thomas	Thurman Thomas	Thurman Thomas	Thurman Thomas	—	—
1992	Steve Young	Steve Young	Steve Young	Emmitt Smith	—	—
1993	Emmitt Smith	Emmitt Smith	Emmitt Smith	Emmitt Smith (2)	—	—
1994	Steve Young (2)	Steve Young (2)	Steve Young (2)	Steve Young	—	—
1995	Brett Favre	Brett Favre	Brett Favre	Brett Favre	—	—
1996	Brett Favre (2)	Brett Favre (2)	Brett Favre (2)	Brett Favre (2)	—	—
1997	Brett Favre (3) Barry Sanders	Barry Sanders	Barry Sanders	Barry Sanders	—	—
1998	Terrell Davis	Terrell Davis	Terrell Davis	Randall Cunningham	—	—
1999	Kurt Warner	Kurt Warner	Kurt Warner	Kurt Warner	—	—
2000	Marshall Faulk	Marshall Faulk	Marshall Faulk	Marshall Faulk	—	—
2001	Kurt Warner (2)	Marshall Faulk (2)	Marshall Faulk (2)	Kurt Warner (2)	—	—
2002	Rich Gannon	Rich Gannon	Rich Gannon	Rich Gannon	—	—
2003	Peyton Manning Steve McNair	Jamal Lewis	Peyton Manning	Peyton Manning	—	—
2004	Peyton Manning (2)	Peyton Manning	Peyton Manning (2)	Peyton Manning (2)	—	—
2005	Shaun Alexander	Shaun Alexander	Shaun Alexander	Shaun Alexander	—	—
2006	LaDainian Tomlinson	LaDainian Tomlinson	LaDainian Tomlinson	LaDainian Tomlinson	—	—
2007	Tom Brady	Tom Brady	Tom Brady	Tom Brady	—	—
2008	Peyton Manning (3)	Peyton Manning (2)	—	Kurt Warner (3)	—	—
2009	Peyton Manning (4)	Peyton Manning (3)	—	—	—	—
2010	Tom Brady (2)	Tom Brady (2)	—	—	—	—
2011	Aaron Rodgers	Aaron Rodgers	—	—	—	—
2012	Adrian Peterson	Adrian Peterson	—	—	—	—
2013	Peyton Manning (5)	Peyton Manning (4)	—	—	—	—
2014	Aaron Rodgers (2)	Aaron Rodgers (2)	—	—	—	—
2015	Cam Newton	Cam Newton	—	—	—	—
2016	Matt Ryan	Matt Ryan	—	—	—	—
2017	Tom Brady (3)	Tom Brady (3)	—	—	—	—
2018	Patrick Mahomes	Patrick Mahomes	—	—	—	—
2019	Lamar Jackson	Lamar Jackson	—	—	—	—
2020	Aaron Rodgers (3)	Aaron Rodgers (3)	—	—	—	—
2021	Aaron Rodgers (4)	Aaron Rodgers (4)	—	—	—	—
2022	Patrick Mahomes (2)	Patrick Mahomes (2)	—	—	—	—
2023	Lamar Jackson (2)	Lamar Jackson (2)	—	—	—	—

NFL Most Valuable Player Award facts for kids

List of winners

See also