The Sporting News NFL Player of the Year Award

☆ Save On Wikipedia ↗

The Sporting News (formerly Sporting News from 2002 to 2022) began awarding a National Football League (NFL) player of the year award in 1954. From 1970 to 1979, The Sporting News chose American Football Conference (AFC) and National Football Conference (NFC) players of the year, and returned to a single winner in 1980. Beginning in 2008 The Sporting News chose an offensive player of the year and a defensive player of the year.[1][2]

Winners

1954–1969

SeasonPlayerPositionTeam
Lou GrozaT/KCleveland
Otto GrahamQBCleveland
Frank GiffordRBNY Giants
Jim BrownFBCleveland
Jim BrownFBCleveland
Johnny UnitasQBBaltimore
Norm Van BrocklinQBPhiladelphia
Paul HornungRBGreen Bay
Y. A. TittleQBNY Giants
Y. A. TittleQBNY Giants
Johnny UnitasQBBaltimore
Jim BrownRBCleveland
Bart StarrQBGreen Bay
Johnny UnitasQBBaltimore
Earl MorrallQBBaltimore
Roman GabrielQBLA Rams
Sources[1][3][4]

1970–1979

Season NFC AFC
PlayerPositionTeamPlayerPositionTeam
John BrodieQBSan FranciscoGeorge BlandaQB/KOakland
Roger StaubachQBDallasBob GrieseQBMiami
Larry BrownRBWashingtonEarl MorrallQBMiami
John HadlQBLA RamsO. J. SimpsonRBBuffalo
Chuck ForemanRBMinnesotaKen StablerQBOakland
Fran TarkentonQBMinnesotaO. J. SimpsonRBBuffalo
Walter PaytonRBChicagoKen StablerQBOakland
Walter PaytonRBChicagoCraig MortonQBDenver
Archie ManningQBNew OrleansEarl CampbellRBHouston
Ottis AndersonRBSt. LouisDan FoutsQBSan Diego

1980–2007

SeasonPlayerTeamPosition
Brian SipeQBCleveland
Ken AndersonQBCincinnati
Mark MoseleyKWashington
Eric DickersonRBLA Rams
Dan MarinoQBMiami
Marcus AllenRBLA Raiders
Lawrence TaylorLBNY Giants
Jerry RiceWRSan Francisco
Boomer EsiasonQBCincinnati
Joe MontanaQBSan Francisco
Jerry RiceWRSan Francisco
Thurman ThomasRBBuffalo
Steve YoungQBSan Francisco
Emmitt SmithRBDallas
Steve YoungQBSan Francisco
Brett FavreQBGreen Bay
Brett FavreQBGreen Bay
Barry SandersRBDetroit
Terrell DavisRBDenver
Kurt WarnerQBSt. Louis
Marshall FaulkRBSt. Louis
Marshall FaulkRBSt. Louis
Rich GannonQBOakland
Peyton ManningQBIndianapolis
Peyton ManningQBIndianapolis
Shaun AlexanderRBSeattle
LaDainian TomlinsonRBSan Diego
Tom BradyQBNew England
Sources[1][5][6]

2008–2025

Season Offensive Defensive
PlayerPositionTeamPlayerPositionTeam
Drew BreesQBNew OrleansAlbert HaynesworthDTTennessee
Drew BreesQBNew OrleansCharles WoodsonCBGreen Bay
Tom BradyQBNew EnglandClay MatthewsOLBGreen Bay
Aaron RodgersQBGreen BayJared AllenDEMinnesota
Adrian PetersonRBMinnesotaJ. J. WattDEHouston
Peyton ManningQBDenverLuke KuechlyOLBCarolina
Aaron RodgersQBGreen BayJ. J. WattDEHouston
Cam NewtonQBCarolinaJ. J. WattDEHouston
Tom BradyQBNew EnglandKhalil MackDEOakland
Antonio BrownWRPittsburghCalais CampbellDEJacksonville
Patrick MahomesQBKansas CityAaron DonaldDTLA Rams
Lamar JacksonQBBaltimoreStephon GilmoreCBNew England
Patrick MahomesQBKansas CityAaron DonaldDTLA Rams
Jonathan TaylorRBPittsburghT. J. WattOLBPittsburgh
Justin JeffersonWRMinnesotaNick BosaDESan Francisco
Tyreek HillWRMiamiMyles GarrettDECleveland
Saquon BarkleyRBPhiladelphiaMyles GarrettDECleveland
Jaxon Smith-NjigbaWRSeattleMyles GarrettDECleveland
Sources[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]

See also

References

  1. Archived July 16, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  2. Barry Wilner (2013-04-04). "Adrian Peterson Wins 2012 Offensive Player Of The Year Award". Huffingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2016-01-27.
  3. "Groza Named MVP in Pro Football". The Dayton Daily News. AP. December 20, 1954. p. D-21. Retrieved June 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Sporting News Names Unitas Pro Football Player Of Year". Carlsbad Current-Argus. January 3, 1960. p. 19. Retrieved June 29, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "Allen honored". The Galveston Daily News. Associated Press. January 23, 1986. p. 20. Retrieved May 24, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Taped-up Brady, Patriots begin work in Arizona". The Indianapolis Star. January 29, 2008. p. D3. Retrieved June 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. Triplett, Mike (January 12, 2010). "New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees named POY by The Sporting News". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  8. Bishop, Greg (January 16, 2020). "Albert Haynesworth Doesn't Need Your Love. Just Your Kidney". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 14, 2021. Even then, the man The Sporting News named its Defensive Player of the Year in 2008 seemed worth the headaches.
  9. Dougherty, Pete (January 14, 2010). "NFL defense late no-call". Green Bay Press-Gazette. p. B-2. Retrieved June 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Matthews honored". Wisconsin State Journal. January 13, 2011. p. B3. Retrieved June 14, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "NFL Awards 2011". The Sporting News.
  12. "NFL Awards 2016". The Sporting News.
  13. "NFL Awards 2017". The Sporting News.
  14. "NFL Awards 2018". The Sporting News.
  15. "NFL Awards 2019". The Sporting News.
  16. "NFL Awards 2020". The Sporting News.
  17. "NFL awards 2023: Lions, Dolphins clean up in voting for Sporting News' honors". The Sporting News.