Sporting News began awarding a National Football League (NFL) player of the year award in 1954. From 1970 to 1979, 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 Sporting News chose an offensive player of the year and a defensive player of the year.[1][2]

Winners

Season Player Team Position Ref
1954 Lou Groza Cleveland Browns Tackle, kicker [3]
1955 Otto Graham Cleveland Browns Quarterback [1]
1956 Frank Gifford New York Giants Running back
1957 Jim Brown Cleveland Browns Fullback
1958 Jim Brown (2) Cleveland Browns Fullback
1959 Johnny Unitas Baltimore Colts Quarterback [4]
1960 Norm Van Brocklin Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback [1]
1961 Paul Hornung Green Bay Packers Running back
1962 Y. A. Tittle New York Giants Quarterback
1963 Y. A. Tittle (2) New York Giants Quarterback
1964 Johnny Unitas (2) Baltimore Colts Quarterback
1965 Jim Brown (3) Cleveland Browns Running back
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
1970 NFC- John Brodie
AFC- George Blanda		 San Francisco 49ers
Oakland Raiders		 Quarterback
Quarterback, kicker
1971 NFC- Roger Staubach
AFC- Bob Griese		 Dallas Cowboys
Miami Dolphins		 Quarterback
Quarterback
1972 NFC- Larry Brown
AFC- Earl Morrall (2)		 Washington Redskins
Miami Dolphins		 Running back
Quarterback
1973 NFC- John Hadl
AFC- O. J. Simpson		 Los Angeles Rams
Buffalo Bills		 Quarterback
Running back
1974 NFC- Chuck Foreman
AFC- Ken Stabler		 Minnesota Vikings
Oakland Raiders		 Running back
Quarterback
1975 NFC- Fran Tarkenton
AFC- O. J. Simpson (2)		 Minnesota Vikings
Buffalo Bills		 Quarterback
Running back
1976 NFC- Walter Payton
AFC- Ken Stabler (2)		 Chicago Bears
Oakland Raiders		 Running back
Quarterback
1977 NFC- Walter Payton (2)
AFC- Craig Morton		 Chicago Bears
Denver Broncos		 Running back
Quarterback
1978 NFC- Archie Manning
AFC- Earl Campbell		 New Orleans Saints
Houston Oilers		 Quarterback
Running back
1979 NFC- Ottis Anderson
AFC- Dan Fouts		 St. Louis Cardinals
San Diego Chargers		 Running back
Quarterback
1980 Brian Sipe Cleveland Browns Quarterback
1981 Ken Anderson Cincinnati Bengals Quarterback
1982 Mark Moseley Washington Redskins Kicker
1983 Eric Dickerson Los Angeles Rams Running back
1984 Dan Marino Miami Dolphins Quarterback
1985 Marcus Allen Los Angeles Raiders Running back [5]
1986 Lawrence Taylor New York Giants Linebacker [1]
1987 Jerry Rice San Francisco 49ers Wide receiver
1988 Boomer Esiason Cincinnati Bengals Quarterback
1989 Joe Montana San Francisco 49ers Quarterback
1990 Jerry Rice (2) San Francisco 49ers Wide receiver
1991 Thurman Thomas Buffalo Bills Running back
1992 Steve Young San Francisco 49ers Quarterback
1993 Emmitt Smith Dallas Cowboys Running back
1994 Steve Young (2) San Francisco 49ers Quarterback
1995 Brett Favre Green Bay Packers Quarterback
1996 Brett Favre (2) Green Bay Packers Quarterback
1997 Barry Sanders Detroit Lions Running back
1998 Terrell Davis Denver Broncos Running back
1999 Kurt Warner St. Louis Rams Quarterback
2000 Marshall Faulk St. Louis Rams Running back
2001 Marshall Faulk (2) St. Louis Rams Running back
2002 Rich Gannon Oakland Raiders Quarterback
2003 Peyton Manning Indianapolis Colts Quarterback
2004 Peyton Manning (2) Indianapolis Colts Quarterback
2005 Shaun Alexander Seattle Seahawks Running back
2006 LaDainian Tomlinson San Diego Chargers Running back
2007 Tom Brady New England Patriots Quarterback [6]
2008 Offense – Drew Brees
Defense – Albert Haynesworth		 New Orleans Saints
Tennessee Titans		 Quarterback
Defensive tackle		 [7][8]
2009 Offense – Drew Brees (2)
Defense – Charles Woodson		 New Orleans Saints
Green Bay Packers		 Quarterback
Cornerback		 [7][9]
2010 Offense – Tom Brady (2)
Defense – Clay Matthews		 New England Patriots
Green Bay Packers		 Quarterback
Linebacker		 [10]
2011 Offense - Aaron Rodgers
Defense - Jared Allen		 Green Bay Packers
Minnesota Vikings		 Quarterback
Defensive end 		[11]
2012 Offense - Adrian Peterson
Defense - J. J. Watt		 Minnesota Vikings
Houston Texans		 Running back
Defensive end 		[12]
2013 Offense - Peyton Manning (3)
Defense - Luke Kuechly		 Denver Broncos
Carolina Panthers		 Quarterback
Linebacker
2014 Offense - Aaron Rodgers (2)
Defense - J. J. Watt (2)		 Green Bay Packers
Houston Texans		 Quarterback
Defensive end
2015 Offense - Cam Newton
Defense - J. J. Watt (3)		 Carolina Panthers
Houston Texans		 Quarterback
Defensive end
2016 Offense - Tom Brady (3)
Defense - Khalil Mack		 New England Patriots
Oakland Raiders		 Quarterback
Defensive end
2017 Offense - Antonio Brown
Defense - Calais Campbell		 Pittsburgh Steelers
Jacksonville Jaguars		 Quarterback
Defensive end 		[13]
2018 Offense - Patrick Mahomes
Defense - Aaron Donald		 Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Rams		 Quarterback
Defensive tackle 		[14]
2019 Offense - Lamar Jackson
Defense - Stephon Gilmore		 Baltimore Ravens
New England Patriots		 Quarterback
Cornerback 		[15]
2020 Offense - Patrick Mahomes (2)
Defense - Aaron Donald (2)		 Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Rams		 Quarterback
Defensive tackle 		[16]
2021 Offense - Jonathan Taylor
Defense - T. J. Watt		 Indianapolis Colts
Pittsburgh Steelers		 Running back
Linebacker
2022 Offense - Justin Jefferson
Defense - Nick Bosa		 Minnesota Vikings
San Francisco 49ers		 Wide receiver
Defensive end
2023 Offense - Tyreek Hill
Defense - Myles Garrett		 Miami Dolphins
Cleveland Browns		 Wide receiver
Defensive end 		[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d [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. ^ a b 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.
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