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The NFL has several yearly awards, allowing fans to see who had the best season in multiple areas. However, the MVP award remains at the top of the list.
In 1957, the Associated Press handed out their first NFL MVP award. Future Hall of Famer Jim Brown won the first two awards in 1957 and 1958, making him one of multiple back-to-back winners. We have even seen two co-MVPs in the past. Brett Favre and Barry Sanders shared the award in 1997, while Peyton Manning and Steve McNair split the title in 2003.
Let’s look at every NFL MVP award winner and their accomplishments this season, breaking it down by the decade.
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The 1950s
- 1957 – Jim Brown, Cleveland Browns
Stats – 202 rushing attempts, 942 yards, nine touchdowns, Offensive Rookie of the Year award winner.
- 1958 – Jim Brown, Cleveland Browns
Stats – 257 rushing attempts, 1,527 yards, 17 touchdowns, led the NFL in all three categories.
- 1959 – Johnny Unitas, Baltimore Colts
Stats – 52.6% pass completion rate, 2,899 yards, 32 touchdowns.
The 1960s
- 1960 – Norm Van Brocklin, Philadelphia Eagles
Stats – 53.9% pass completion rate, 2,471 yards, 24 touchdowns.
- 1961 – Paul Hornung, Green Bay Packers
Stats – 127 rushing attempts, 597 yards, eight touchdowns.
- 1962 – Jim Taylor, Green Bay Packers
Stats – 272 rushing attempts, 1,474 yards, 19 touchdowns, led the NFL in all three categories.
- 1963 – Y.A. Tittle, New York Giants
Stats – 60.2% pass completion rate, 3,145 yards, 36 touchdowns, set a career-high in touchdowns.
- 1964 – Johnny Unitas, Baltimore Colts
Stats – 51.8% pass completion rate, 2,824 yards, 19 touchdowns.
- 1965 – Jim Brown, Cleveland Browns
Stats – 289 rushing attempts, 1,544 yards, 17 touchdowns, led the NFL in all three categories in his final season.
- 1966 – Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers
Stats – 55.8% pass completion rate, 2,055 yards, 16 touchdowns.
- 1967 – Johnny Unitas, Baltimore Colts
Stats – 58.5% pass completion rate, 3,428 yards, 20 touchdowns, NFL-high four fourth-quarter comeback wins.
- 1968 – Earl Morrall, Baltimore Colts
Stats – 57.4% pass completion rate, 2,909 yards, 26 touchdowns.
- 1969 – Roman Gabriel, Los Angeles Rams
Stats – 54.4% pass completion rate, 2,549 yards, 24 touchdowns.
The 1970s
- 1970 – John Brodie, San Francisco 49ers
Stats – 59% pass completion rate, 2,941 yards, 24 touchdowns, led the NFL in total completions (223).
- 1971 – Alan Page, Minnesota Vikings
Stats – nine sacks, three fumble recoveries, two safeties, first defensive player to win the award.
- 1972 – Larry Brown, Washington Redskins
Stats – 285 rushing attempts, 1,216 yards, eight touchdowns, averaged over 100 yards per game.
- 1973 – O.J. Simpson, Buffalo Bills
Stats – 332 rushing attempts, 2,003 yards, 12 touchdowns, first MVP winner with 2,000 yards.
- 1974 – Ken Stabler, Oakland Raiders
Stats – 57.4% pass completion rate, 2,469 yards, 26 touchdowns.
- 1975 – Frank Tarkenton, Minnesota Vikings
Stats – 64.2% pass completion rate, 2,994 yards, 25 touchdowns.
- 1976 – Bert Jones, Baltimore Colts
Stats – 60.3% pass completion rate, 3,104 yards, 24 touchdowns.
- 1977 – Walter Payton, Chicago Bears
Stats – 339 rushing attempts, 1,852, 14 touchdowns, led the NFL in yards per game (132.3).
- 1978 – Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh Steelers
Stats – 56.3% pass completion rate, 2,915 yards, 28 touchdowns, only Steeler to win the MVP award.
- 1979 – Earl Campbell, Houston Oilers
Stats – 368 rushing attempts, 1,697 yards, 19 touchdowns, led the NFL in yards and touchdowns in his second season.
The 1980s
- 1980 – Brian Sipe, Cleveland Browns
Stats – 60.8% pass completion rate, 4,132 yards, 30 touchdowns.
- 1981 – Ken Anderson, Cincinnati Bengals
Stats – 62.6% pass completion rate, 3,754 yards, 29 touchdowns.
- 1982 – Mark Moseley, Washington Redskins
Stats – Converted 95.2% of his field goal attempts (20/21), the only kicker to ever win the MVP award.
- 1983 – Joe Theismann, Washington Redskins
Stats – 60.1% pass completion rate, 3,714 yards, 29 touchdowns.
- 1984 – Dan Marino, Miami Dolphins
Stats – 64.2% pass completion rate, 5,084 yards, 48 touchdowns, first MVP winner with over 5,000 yards.
- 1985 – Marcus Allen, Los Angeles Rams
Stats – 380 rushing attempts, 1,759 yards, 11 touchdowns.
- 1986 – Lawrence Taylor, New York Giants
Stats – Led the NFL with 20.5 sacks, the last Giant to win the MVP award.
- 1987 – John Elway, Denver Broncos
Stats – 54.6% pass completion rate, 3,198 yards, 19 touchdowns.
- 1988 – Boomer Esiason, Cincinnati Bengals
Stats – 57.5% pass completion rate, 3,572 yards, 28 touchdowns.
- 1989 – Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers
Stats – 59.9% pass completion rate, 2,981 yards, 18 touchdowns.
The 1990s
- 1990 – Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers
Stats – 70.2% pass completion rate, 3,521 yards, 26 touchdowns, led the NFL in completion rate.
- 1991 – Thurman Thomas, Buffalo Bills
Stats – 288 rushing attempts, 1,407 yards, seven touchdowns, led the league in yards per attempt average (4.9).
- 1992 – Steve Young, San Francisco 49ers
Stats – 66.7% pass completion rate, 3,465 yards, 25 touchdowns.
- 1993 – Emmitt Smith, Dallas Cowboys
Stats – 283 rushing attempts, for 1,486 yards, nine touchdowns, he led the NFL in yards for the third consecutive year.
- 1994 – Steve Young, San Francisco 49ers
Stats – 70.3% pass completion rate, 3,969 yards, 35 touchdowns.
- 1995 – Brett Favre, Green Bay Packers
Stats – 63% pass completion rate, 4,413 yards, 38 touchdowns, the first of three consecutive MVP awards.
- 1996 – Brett Favre, Green Bay Packers
Stats – 59.9% pass completion rate, 3,899 yards, 39 touchdowns.
- 1997 – Brett Favre, Green Bay Packers & Barry Sanders, Detroit Lions
Stats – 59.3% pass completion rate, 3,867 yards, 35 touchdowns. (Favre) | 335 rushing attempts, 2,053 yards, 11 touchdowns (Sanders).
- 1998 – Terrell Davis, Denver Broncos
Stats – 392 rushing attempts, 2,008 yards, 21 touchdowns, led the NFL in yards and touchdowns.
- 1999 – Kurt Warner, St. Louis Rams
Stats – 65.1% pass completion rate, 4,353 yards, 41 touchdowns, won the MVP award in his first year as the starter.
The 2000s
- 2000 – Marshall Faulk, St. Louis Rams
Stats – 253 rushing attempts, 1,359 yards, 18 touchdowns.
- 2001 – Kurt Warner, St. Louis Rams
Stats – 68.7% pass completion rate, 4,830 yards, 36 touchdowns, led the NFL in all three categories and quarterback rating (101.4).
- 2002 – Rich Gannon, Oakland Raiders
Stats – 67.6% pass completion rate, 4,689 yards, 26 touchdowns.
- 2003 – Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts & Steve McNair, Tennessee Titans
Stats – 67% pass completion rate, 4,267 yards, 29 touchdowns. (Manning) | 62.5% pass completion rate, 3,215 yards, 24 touchdowns. (McNair)
- 2004 – Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
Stats – 67.6% pass completion rate, 4,557 yards, 49 touchdowns, second consecutive MVP award.
- 2005 – Shaun Alexander, Seattle Seahawks
Stats – 370 rushing attempts, 1,880 yards, 27 touchdowns, set the NFL record for rushing touchdowns in a season.
- 2006 – LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers
Stats – 348 rushing attempts, 1,815 yards, 28 touchdowns, breaking the touchdown record after only one year.
- 2007 – Tom Brady, New England Patriots
Stats – 68.9% pass completion rate, 4,806 yards, 50 touchdowns, led Patriots to an undefeated regular season.
- 2008 – Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
Stats – 66.8% pass completion rate, 4,002 yards, 27 touchdowns.
- 2009 – Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
Stats – 68.8% pass completion rate, 4,500 yards, 33 touchdowns.
The 2010s
- 2010 – Tom Brady, New England Patriots
Stats – 65.9% pass completion rate, 3,900 yards, 36 touchdowns.
- 2011 – Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Stats – 68.3 pass completion rate, 4,643 yards, 45 touchdowns, NFL-high 9% touchdown rate.
- 2012 – Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
Stats – 348 rushing attempts, 2,097 yards, 12 touchdowns, came nine yards short of breaking Eric Dickerson’s NFL record.
- 2013 – Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos
Stats – 68.3% pass completion rate, 5,477 yards, 55 touchdowns, set the NFL record for touchdowns in a season.
- 2014 – Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Stats – 65.6% pass completion rate, 4,381 yards, 38 touchdowns.
- 2015 – Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
Stats – 59.8% pass completion rate, 3,837 yards, 35 touchdowns, only Panther to win the MVP award.
- 2016 – Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
Stats – 69.9% pass completion rate, 4,944 yards, 38 touchdowns.
- 2017 – Tom Brady, New England Patriots
Stats – 66.3% pass completion rate, 4,577 yards, 32 touchdowns, won the MVP award at age 40.
- 2018 – Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Stats – 66% pass completion rate, 5,097 yards, 50 touchdowns, won the MVP award in his first year as the starting quarterback.
- 2019 – Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Stats – 66.1% pass completion rate, 3,127 yards, 36 touchdowns, 1,206 rushing yards, seven rushing scores.
The 2020s
- 2020 – Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Stats – 70.7% pass completion rate, 4,299 yards, 48 touchdowns.
- 2021 – Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Stats – 68.9% pass completion rate, 4,115 yards, 37 touchdowns, his fourth MVP award (the second-most all time).
- 2022 – Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Stats – 67.1% pass completion rate, 5,250 yards, 41 touchdowns, led the NFL in yards and touchdowns in his first season without Tyreek Hill.
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