The NFL has its roots in 1920, while the MVP honor was first awarded in 1938. The Associated Press started handing out the MVP annually in 1957. The most recent winner named at the 2026 NFL Honors was Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.
Complete list of NFL MVP winners:
– 2025: Matthew Stafford (Quarterback – Los Angeles Rams)
– 2024: Josh Allen (Quarterback – Buffalo Bills)
– 2023: Lamar Jackson (Quarterback – Baltimore Ravens)
– 2022: Patrick Mahomes (Quarterback – Kansas City Chiefs)
– 2021: Aaron Rodgers (Quarterback – Green Bay Packers)
– 2020: Aaron Rodgers (Quarterback – Green Bay Packers)
– 2019: Lamar Jackson (Quarterback – Baltimore Ravens)
– 2018: Patrick Mahomes (Quarterback – Kansas City Chiefs)
– 2017: Tom Brady (Quarterback – New England Patriots)
– 2016: Matt Ryan (Quarterback – Atlanta Falcons)
– 2015: Cam Newton (Quarterback – Carolina Panthers)
– 2014: Aaron Rodgers (Quarterback – Green Bay Packers)
– 2013: Peyton Manning (Quarterback – Denver Broncos)
– 2012: Adrian Peterson (Running Back – Minnesota Vikings)
– 2011: Aaron Rodgers (Quarterback – Green Bay Packers)
– 2010: Tom Brady (Quarterback – New England Patriots)
– 2009: Peyton Manning (Quarterback – Indianapolis Colts)
– 2008: Peyton Manning (Quarterback – Indianapolis Colts)
– 2007: Tom Brady (Quarterback – New England Patriots)
– 2006: LaDainian Tomlinson (Running Back – San Diego Chargers)
– 2005: Shaun Alexander (Running Back – Seattle Seahawks)
– 2004: Peyton Manning (Quarterback – Indianapolis Colts)
– 2003: Peyton Manning (Quarterback – Indianapolis Colts)
– 2003: Steve McNair (Quarterback – Tennessee Titans)
– 2002: Rich Gannon (Quarterback – Oakland Raiders)
– 2001: Kurt Warner (Quarterback – St. Louis Rams)
– 2000: Marshall Faulk (Running Back – St. Louis Rams)
– 1999: Kurt Warner (Quarterback – St. Louis Rams)
– 1998: Terrell Davis (Running Back – Denver Broncos)
– 1997: Barry Sanders (Running Back – Detroit Lions)
– 1997: Brett Favre (Quarterback – Green Bay Packers)
– 1996: Brett Favre (Quarterback – Green Bay Packers)
– 1995: Brett Favre (Quarterback – Green Bay Packers)
– 1994: Steve Young (Quarterback – San Francisco 49ers)
– 1993: Emmitt Smith (Running Back – Dallas Cowboys)
– 1992: Steve Young (Quarterback – San Francisco 49ers)
– 1991: Thurman Thomas (Running Back – Buffalo Bills)
– 1990: Joe Montana (Quarterback – San Francisco 49ers)
– 1989: Joe Montana (Quarterback – San Francisco 49ers)
– 1988: Boomer Esiason (Quarterback – Cincinnati Bengals)
– 1987: John Elway (Quarterback – Denver Broncos)
– 1986: Lawrence Taylor (Linebacker – New York Giants)
– 1985: Marcus Allen (Running Back – Los Angeles Raiders)
– 1984: Dan Marino (Quarterback – Miami Dolphins)
– 1983: Joe Theismann (Quarterback – Washington Redskins)
– 1982: Mark Moseley (Placekicker – Washington Redskins)
– 1981: Ken Anderson (Quarterback – Cincinnati Bengals)
– 1980: Brian Sipe (Quarterback – Cleveland Browns)
– 1979: Earl Campbell (Running Back – Houston Oilers)
– 1978: Terry Bradshaw (Quarterback – Pittsburgh Steelers)
– 1977: Walter Payton (Running Back – Chicago Bears)
– 1976: Bert Jones (Quarterback – Baltimore Colts)
– 1975: Fran Tarkenton (Quarterback – Minnesota Vikings)
– 1974: Ken Stabler (Quarterback – Oakland Raiders)
– 1973: O.J. Simpson (Running Back – Buffalo Bills)
– 1972: Larry Brown (Running Back – Washington Redskins)
– 1971: Alan Page (Defensive Tackle – Minnesota Vikings)
– 1970: John Brodie (Quarterback – San Francisco 49ers)
– 1969: Roman Gabriel (Quarterback – Los Angeles Rams)
– 1968: Earl Morrall (Quarterback – Baltimore Colts)
– 1967: Johnny Unitas (Quarterback – Baltimore Colts)
– 1966: Bart Starr (Quarterback – Green Bay Packers)
– 1965: Jim Brown (Running Back – Cleveland Browns)
– 1964: Johnny Unitas (Quarterback – Baltimore Colts)
– 1963: YA Title (Quarterback – New York Giants)
– 1962: Jim Taylor (Fullback – Green Bay Packers)
– 1961: Paul Hornung (Halfback – Green Bay Packers)
– 1960: Norm Van Brocklin (Quarterback – Philadelphia Eagles)
– 1959: Johnny Unitas (Quarterback – Baltimore Colts)
– 1958: Jim Brown (Running Back – Cleveland Browns)
– 1957: Jim Brown (Running Back – Cleveland Browns)
– 1956: Frank Gifford (Halfback – New York Giants)
– 1955: Otto Graham (Quarterback – Cleveland Browns)
– 1954: Joe Perry (Fullback – San Francisco 49ers)
– 1953: Otto Graham (Quarterback – Cleveland Browns)
– 1952: Joe Perry (Fullback – San Francisco 49ers)
– 1951: Norm Van Brocklin (Quarterback – Los Angeles Rams)
– 1950: Otto Graham (Quarterback – Cleveland Browns)
– 1949: Charlie Conerly (Quarterback – New York Giants)
– 1948: Pat Harder (Fullback – Chicago Cardinals)
– 1947: Sammy Baugh (Quarterback – Washington Redskins)
– 1946: Bill Dudley (Halfback – Pittsburgh Steelers)
– 1945: Charlie Trippi (Halfback – Chicago Cardinals)
– 1944: Frank Sinkwich (Halfback – Detroit Lions)
– 1943: Sid Luckman (Quarterback – Chicago Bears)
– 1942: Don Hutson (End – Green Bay Packers)
– 1941: Joe Foss (Defensive Back – New York Giants)
– 1940: Ace Parker (Quarterback – Brooklyn Dodgers)
– 1939: Parker Hall (Quarterback – Cleveland Rams)
– 1938: Bob Monnett (Halfback – Green Bay Packers)
– 1937: Ed Danowski (Quarterback – New York Giants)
– 1936: Joe F. Carter (Fullback – Detroit Lions)
Most MVPs all-time:
Peyton Manning leads with five MVP awards, followed by Aaron Rodgers with four. Players with multiple MVPs include:
– Peyton Manning — 5
– Aaron Rodgers — 4
– Tom Brady — 3
– Jim Brown — 3
– Brett Favre — 3
– Johnny Unitas — 3
– Lamar Jackson — 2
– Patrick Mahomes — 2
– Joe Montana — 2
– Kurt Warner — 2
– Steve Young — 2
Fan take:
This award history highlights how quarterbacks and a few standout running backs and defenders have shaped the league’s narrative for decades. Recognizing the latest MVP not only honors individual excellence but also signals which teams and playing styles are setting the tone for the NFL’s immediate future.
