Each year, this award is given annually to the player who receives the most votes by a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters who cover the NFL.
Past Winners[]
Associated Press Winners[]
Year | Winner | Team | Position |
2006 | LaDainian Tomlinson | San Diego Chargers | Running back |
2005 | Shaun Alexander | Seattle Seahawks | Running back |
2004 | Peyton Manning | Indianapolis Colts | Quarterback |
2003* | Peyton Manning | Indianapolis Colts | Quarterback |
2003* | Steve McNair | Tennessee Titans | Quarterback |
2002 | Rich Gannon | Oakland Raiders | Quarterback |
2001 | Kurt Warner | St. Louis Rams | Quarterback |
2000 | Marhsall Faulk | St. Louis Rams | Running back |
1999 | Kurt Warner | St. Louis Rams | Quarterback |
1998 | Terrell Davis | Denver Broncos | Running back |
1997** | Brett Favre | Green Bay Packers | Quarterback |
1997** | Barry Sanders | Detroit Lions | Running back |
1996 | Brett Favre | Green Bay Packers | Quarterback |
1995 | Brett Favre | Green Bay Packers | Quarterback |
1994 | Steve Young | San Francisco 49ers | Quarterback |
1993 | Emmitt Smith | Dallas Cowboys | Running back |
1992 | Steve Young | San Francisco 49ers | Quarterback |
1991 | Thurman Thomas | Buffalo Bills | Running Back |
1990 | Joe Montana | San Francisco 49ers | Quarterback |
1989 | Joe Montana | San Francisco 49ers | Quarterback |
1988 | Boomer Esiason | Cincinnati Bengals | Quarterback |
1987 | John Elway | Denver Broncos | Quarterback |
1986 | Lawrence Taylor | New York Giants | Linebacker |
1985 | Marcus Allen | Los Angeles Raiders | Running back |
1984 | Dan Marino | Miami Dolphins | Quarterback |
1983 | Joe Theismann | Washington Redskins | Quarterback |
1982 | Mark Moseley | Washington Redskins | Kicker |
1981 | Ken Anderson | Cincinnati Bengals | Quarterback |
1980 | Brian Sipe | Cleveland Browns | Quarterback |
1979 | Earl Campbell | Houston Oilers | Running back |
1978 | Terry Bradshaw | Pittsburgh Steelers | Quarterback |
1977 | Walter Payton | Chicago Bears | Running back |
1976 | Bert Jones | Baltimore Colts | Quarterback |
1975 | Frank Tarkenton | Minnesota Vikings | Quarterback |
1974 | Ken Stabler | Oakland Raiders | Quarterback |
1973 | O.J. Simpson | Buffalo Bills | Running back |
1972 | Larry Brown | Washington Redskins | Running back |
1971 | Alan Page | Minnesota Vikings | Defensive tackle |
1970 | John Brodie | San Francisco 49ers | Quarterback |
1969 | Roman Gabriel | Los Angeles Rams | Quarterback |
1968 | Earl Morrall | Baltimore Colts | Quarterback |
1967 | Johnny Unitas | Baltimore Colts | Quarterback |
1966 | Bart Starr | Green Bay Packers | Quarterback |
1965 | Jim Brown | Cleveland Browns | Running back |
1964 | Johnny Unitas | Baltimore Colts | Quarterback |
1963 | Y.A. Tittle | New York Giants | Quarterback |
1962 | Jim Taylor | Green Bay Packers | Running back |
1961 | Paul Hornung | Green Bay Packers | Running back |
1960*** | Norm VanBrocklin | Philadelphia Eagles | Quarterback |
1960*** | Joe Schmidt | Detroit Lions | Linebacker |
1959 | Charley Conerly | New York Giants | Quarterback |
1958 | Gino Marchetti | Baltimore Colts | Defensive end |
1957 | Jim Brown | Cleveland Browns | Running back |
Joe Carr Trophy[]
Year | Player | Team | Position |
1946 | Bill Dudley | Pittsburgh Steelers | Halfback |
1945 | Bob Waterfield | Cleveland Rams | Quarterback |
1944 | Frank Sinkwich | Detroit Lions | Halfback |
1943 | Sid Luckman | Chicago Bears | Quarterback |
1942 | Don Hutson | Green Bay Packers | End |
1941 | Don Hutson | Green Bay Packers | End |
1940 | Ace Parker | Brooklyn Dodgers | Halfback |
1939 | Parker Hall | Cleveland Rams | Halfback |
1938 | Mel Hein | New York Giants | Center |
*McNair & Manning named co-MVPs
**Favre & Sanders draw a tie
***Van Brocklin & Schmidt draw a tie