National Football League Most Valuable Player Award

The National Football League Most Valuable Player Award (NFL MVP) is an award given by various entities to the American football player who is considered most valuable in the National Football League. Today, when the award is referred to without mentioning the awarding entity, that of the Associated Press is generally meant.

Associated Press NFL POY/MVP Award
The AP NFL MVP has been shared twice, in 1997 and 2003. Peyton Manning has won the award four times, the most of any player. Jim Brown, Johnny Unitas, and Brett Favre were named MVP three times, while Joe Montana, Steve Young, Kurt Warner, and Tom Brady have each won the award twice. Most awardees have been quarterbacks and running backs; the only defensive players to be so honored have been Alan Page and Lawrence Taylor, and the only special teams player was Mark Moseley.

Confusion
On January 1, 2008, the AP stated that it awarded its first MVP in 1961. It is possible that this is a reaction to an article in Pro Football Weekly that suggests the AP's listing of its awards was incorrect. As recently as the morning (EST) of the same date, the AP's web site listed the 1957 MVP as Jim Brown, the 1958 MVP as Gino Marchetti, the 1959 MVP as Charlie Conerly, and the 1960 co-MVPs as Norm Van Brocklin and Joe Schmidt. The Pro Football Weekly.com article disputes the 1958, 1959, and 1960 winners. Since, as the PFW article points out, the AP began using the term "MVP" in 1961, it seems the pre-1960 winners are no longer considered "MVPs" but "Players of the Year". Adding to the confusion, the 1962 winner, Jim Taylor (in the story that moved across the AP wire in 1962) was the "Player of the Year", not the "Most Valuable Player". In 1963 the term "MVP" was used once again. According to another article by Pro Football Weekly, the terms "Player of the Year" and "Most Valuable Player" were interchangeable at the time.

Awardees
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Newspaper Enterprise Association NFL MVP Award
The Newspaper Enterprise Association presented an MVP award from 1955 through 1996, decided by a poll of NFL players. The award winner receives the Jim Thorpe Trophy (not to be confused with collegiate football's Jim Thorpe Award). Beginning in 1997, the trophy was presented by the Jim Thorpe Association, with the winner determined by a "vote of NFLPA representatives".

The Sporting News NFL MVP Award
Beginning in 1954, The Sporting News NFL MVP is still in existence. From 1970 to 1979 The Sporting News chose AFC and NFC players of the year, returning to an NFL-wide choice in 1980.

Bert Bell Award
The Bert Bell Award is presented annually to the NFL MVP by the Maxwell Club.

Washington D.C. Touchdown Club NFL Player of the Year Award

 * See: Washington D.C. Touchdown Club (1945–present)

Joe F. Carr Trophy
The NFL awarded the Joe F. Carr Trophy (named after the league president, 1921–39) to the league's MVP from 1938 to 1946.

Football Digest NFL MVP Award
Football Digest named an NFL Most Valuable Player from 1973 to 1988.

Miller Lite NFL Player of the Year
Award discontinued after 2006.

United Press International NFL POY Award
United Press International gave an NFL Player of the Year Award from 1948 through 1969, excepting 1949-50, and 1952. In 1970 UPI instituted separate awards for the NFC and AFC. In 1975 UPI added a Defensive Player of the Year Award for both the NFC and AFC.