The NFL MVP award is voted on by the 50 members of the Associated Press following the final week of the NFL regular season. In today’s era of the NFL, the MVP is typically the quarterback of the winningest team from that season. However, throughout the years, we’ve seen running backs, a linebacker, and even a kicker win the NFL MVP award.
List of NFL MVP Winners
Below is a list of all the NFL MVP winners throughout NFL history. We’ll start prior to the merger.
Pre-Merger
- 1957 | FB Jim Brown
Cleveland Browns - 1958 | FB Jim Brown
Cleveland Browns - 1959 | QB Johnny Unitas
Baltimore Colts - 1960 | QB Norm Van Brocklin
Philadelphia Eagles - 1961 | HB Paul Hornung
Green Bay Packers - 1962 | FB Jim Taylor
Green Bay Packers - 1963 | QB Y.A. Tittle
New York Giants - 1964 | QB Johnny Unitas
Baltimore Colts - 1965 | FB Jim Brown
Cleveland Browns
Post-Merger | 1960s-1990s
- 1966 | QB Bart Starr
Green Bay Packers - 1967 | QB Johnny Unitas
Baltimore Colts - 1968 | QB Earl Morrall
Baltimore Colts - 1969 | QB Roman Gabriel
Los Angeles Rams - 1970 | QB John Brodie
San Francisco 49ers - 1971 | DT Alan Page
Minnesota Vikings - 1972 | RB Larry Brown
Washington - 1973 | RB O.J. Simpson
Buffalo Bills - 1974 | QB Ken Stabler
Oakland Raiders - 1975 | QB Fran Tarkenton
Minnesota Vikings - 1976 | QB Bert Jones
Baltimore Colts - 1977 | RB Walter Payton
Chicago Bears - 1978 | QB Terry Bradshaw
Pittsburgh Steelers - 1979 | RB Earl Campbell
Houston Oilers - 1980 | QB Brian Sipe
Cleveland Browns - 1981 | QB Ken Anderson
Cincinnati Bengals - 1982 | K Mark Moseley
Washington - 1983 | QB Joe Theismann
Washington - 1984 | QB Dan Marino
Miami Dolphins - 1985 | QB Marcus Allen
Los Angeles Raiders - 1986 | LB Lawrence Taylor
New York Giants - 1987 | QB John Elway
Denver Broncos - 1988 | QB Boomer Esiason
Cincinnati Bengals - 1989 | QB Joe Montana
San Francisco 49ers - 1990 | QB Joe Montana
San Francisco 49ers - 1991 | QB Thurman Thomas
Buffalo Bills - 1992 | QB Steve Young
San Francisco 49ers - 1993 | QB Emmitt Smith
Dallas Cowboys - 1994 | QB Steve Young
San Francisco 49ers - 1995 | QB Brett Favre
Green Bay Packers - 1996 | QB Brett Favre
Green Bay Packers - 1997 | RB Barry Sanders
Detroit Lions - 1997 | QB Brett Favre
Green Bay Packers - 1998 | RB Terrell Davis
Denver Broncos - 1999 | QB Kurt Warner
St. Louis Rams
Post-Merger | 2000s-Present
- 2000 | RB Marshall Faulk
St. Louis Rams - 2001 | QB Kurt Warner
St. Louis Rams - 2002 | QB Rich Gannon
Oakland Raiders - 2003 | QB Steve McNair
Tennessee Titans - 2003 | QB Peyton Manning
Indianapolis Colts - 2004 | QB Peyton Manning
Indianapolis Colts - 2005 | RB Shaun Alexander
Seattle Seahawks - 2006 | RB LaDainian Tomlinson
San Diego Chargers - 2007 | QB Tom Brady
New England Patriots - 2008 | QB Peyton Manning
Indianapolis Colts - 2009 | QB Peyton Manning
Indianapolis Colts - 2010 | QB Tom Brady
New England Patriots - 2011 | QB Aaron Rodgers
Green Bay Packers - 2012 | RB Adrian Peterson
Minnesota Vikings - 2013 | QB Peyton Manning
Denver Broncos - 2014 | QB Aaron Rodgers
Green Bay Packers - 2015 | QB Cam Newton
Carolina Panthers - 2016 | QB Matt Ryan
Atlanta Falcons - 2017 | QB Tom Brady
New England Patriots - 2018 | QB Patrick Mahomes
Kansas City Chiefs - 2019 | QB Lamar Jackson
Baltimore Ravens - 2020 | QB Aaron Rodgers
Green Bay Packers - 2021 | QB Aaron Rodgers
Green Bay Packers - 2022 | QB Patrick Mahomes
Kansas City Chiefs
Repeat Winners of the NFL MVP Award
To be recognized as the most valuable player in one season is an accomplishment nobody can take away from you. To do it multiple times, like the five different times Peyton Manning was named NFL MVP, is remarkable.
Below is a list of all the repeat NFL MVP winners throughout the history of the award:
- 5-time winner | Peyton Manning
- 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2013
- 4-time winner | Aaron Rodgers
- 2011, 2014, 2020, 2021
- 3-time winners
- Tom Brady
2007, 2010, 2017 - Brett Favre
1995, 1996, 1997 - Jim Brown
1957, 1958, 1965 - Johnny Unitas
1959, 1964, 1967
- Tom Brady
- 2-time winners
- Kurt Warner
1999, 2001 - Steve Young
1992, 1994 - Joe Montana
1989, 1990 - Patrick Mahomes
2018, 2022
- Kurt Warner
NFL MVP FAQs
Here are some MVP-winning tidbits of info you’ve probably been curious about.
Who Has the Most NFL MVPs?
Peyton Manning won the NFL MVP award five different times throughout his career. He won four with the Indianapolis Colts and his final MVP with the Denver Broncos in 2013.
Has There Ever Been a Tie for the NFL MVP Award?
A tie on the NFL MVP voting ballot has occurred on two separate occasions. The first time came in 1997 when both quarterback Brett Favre and running back Barry Sanders each received 18 votes (or 37.5% of the voting share). Voting took place before Week 17; following the 1997 season, MVP voting was moved to following the regular season.
MORE: Who Has Been to the Most Pro Bowls in NFL History?
The second time came in 2003 when two quarterbacks tied with 16 votes each: Peyton Manning and Steve McNair.
How Many Times Has a Player Won Back-To-Back NFL MVP Awards?
Since 1957, a player has won back-to-back NFL MVP awards six times. This includes Jim Brown in 1957 and 1958 (pre-merger), Joe Montana in 1989 and 1990, Brett Favre in 1996 and 1997, Peyton Manning twice in 2003-2004 and 2008-2009, and Aaron Rodgers in 2020 and 2021.
Jim Brown is the only non-quarterback to win back-to-back MVPs.
Has Anyone Ever Won NFL MVP 3 Times in a Row?
Favre is the only player to win the NFL MVP award in three consecutive years. He did it in 1995, 1996, and 1997.