NFL Most Valuable Player Award

NFL Most Valuable Player Award
Name	NFL Most Valuable Player Award
Sport	American football
League	National Football League
Givenfor	Most valuable player in the NFL
Presenter	Associated Press
Country	United States
Year	1957
Holder	Lamar Jackson
Holder label	Most recent

NFL Most Valuable Player Award. The NFL Most Valuable Player Award is an annual honor presented by the Associated Press to the most outstanding player in the National Football League. It is widely considered the most prestigious individual accolade in professional American football, recognizing exceptional performance and impact on a team's success during the NFL season. The winner is selected by a nationwide panel of media members who cover the league.

History

The award was first presented following the 1957 NFL season, with Jim Brown of the Cleveland Browns being the inaugural recipient. Initially, the honor was part of a suite of awards presented by the Associated Press, which had already been naming an All-Pro team since the early days of the National Football League. For many years, the award was officially known as the NFL Most Outstanding Player Award, a distinction that sometimes led to separate winners from the MVP in voting conducted by other organizations like the Pro Football Writers of America. The modern era of the award is closely associated with the careers of legendary quarterbacks such as Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Aaron Rodgers, whose multiple wins have defined its recent history.

Selection process

The selection is conducted by a panel of 50 sportswriters and broadcasters from across the United States, each representing a different media market that covers the National Football League. Following the conclusion of the NFL regular season, each voter submits a ballot ranking their top five choices for the award, with points awarded on a 10-5-3-2-1 basis. The player with the highest cumulative point total is declared the winner, with the results typically announced during the NFL Honors ceremony held in the week leading up to the Super Bowl. This process is distinct from the voting for the NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award, though the same player often wins both honors.

Winners

Winners have come predominantly from the quarterback position, reflecting the pivotal role of the role in modern offensive schemes. Notable winners include Johnny Unitas of the Baltimore Colts, Joe Montana of the San Francisco 49ers, and Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers. In rare instances, players from other positions have won, such as running backs Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings and LaDainian Tomlinson of the San Diego Chargers, or defensive tackle Alan Page of the Minnesota Vikings. The most recent winner as of the 2023 NFL season is quarterback Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens.

Multiple winners

A select group of players have won the award more than once, underscoring sustained excellence. Peyton Manning holds the record with five awards, earned during his tenures with the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos. Aaron Rodgers has won four times with the Green Bay Packers, while Brett Favre and Tom Brady have each won three times. Other multiple winners include Johnny Unitas, Jim Brown, and Kurt Warner, each of whom claimed the honor twice. This elite group is almost exclusively composed of quarterbacks, with Jim Brown being the only non-quarterback to win multiple times.

Records and statistics

Quarterbacks have won the award in over 75% of the seasons since its inception. Peyton Manning not only has the most wins but also shares the record for most consecutive awards (two) with several other players, including Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. The youngest winner is Lamar Jackson, who won his first award at age 22 during the 2019 NFL season, while the oldest is Tom Brady, who won at age 44 in the 2021 NFL season. Only one defensive player, Alan Page in 1971, and one special teams player, Mark Moseley of the Washington Redskins in 1982, have ever received the honor.

Reception and legacy

The award carries immense prestige within the sport and is a central component of a player's legacy, often influencing discussions for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Winning the MVP is frequently cited alongside Super Bowl victories and All-Pro selections as the pinnacle of individual achievement. The annual announcement during NFL Honors is a major televised event, and the award itself is symbolized by the Pete Rozelle Trophy, named for the former NFL Commissioner. While sometimes debated in comparison to the Super Bowl MVP, the regular season MVP award remains the definitive recognition of a player's season-long dominance and value to his team.

Category:National Football League awards Category:American football trophies and awards Category:Most valuable player awards