A Look at the Historical Votes for the MVP Award
Published on January 28th, 2023 4:53 pm ESTWritten By: Dave Manuel
Over the history of the NFL, there have been a number of awards that have served as the de facto "MVP" award, including the Joe F. Carr Trophy, the Jim Thorpe Trophy and others. The current version of the MVP award is the Associated Press MVP award, which has been given out since 1957. This is the MVP award that is officially recognized by the NFL and its players.
Some of the greatest players in the history of the game have won the award, from Jim Brown to Peyton Manning to Joe Montana to Brett Favre to Lawrence Taylor.
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Here is a look at the voting history for the award.
There are a few years in which the number of votes aren't available.
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1957
Jim Brown, 14 Votes
Y.A. Tittle, 10 Votes
Johnny Unitas, 7 Votes
Joe Schmidt, 3 Votes
Duane Putnam, 1 Vote
Billy Wilson, 1 Vote
1958
Jim Brown, 22 Votes
Johnny Unitas, 15 Votes
Rosey Grier, 1 Vote
Sam Huff, 1 Vote
Bobby Layne, 1 Vote
Lenny Moore, 1 Vote
1959
Johnny Unitas, 20 Votes
Charlie Conerly, 7 Votes
Jim Brown, 5 Votes
Sam Huff, 3 Votes
Raymond Berry, 1 Vote
J.D. Smith, 1 Vote
1960
Norm Van Brocklin, 27 Votes
Paul Hornung, 8 Votes
Raymond Berry, 1 Vote
Jim Brown, 1 Vote
John David Crow, 1 Vote
Johnny Unitas, 1 Vote
1961
*votes are unknown*
Paul Hornung
Jim Brown
Sonny Jurgensen
Del Shofner
Bart Starr
Jim Taylor
Y.A. Tittle
1962
Jim Taylor, 19 Votes
Y.A. Tittle, 13 Votes
Bobby Mitchell, 4 Votes
Roger Brown, 2 Votes
Lou Michaels, 1 Vote
Joe Schmidt, 1 Vote
1963
Y.A. Tittle, 33 Votes
Jim Brown, 7 Votes
1964
Johnny Unitas, 32 Votes
Jim Brown, 5 Votes
Lenny Moore, 2 Votes
Johnny Morris, 1 Vote
1965
Jim Brown, 34 Votes
Johnny Unitas, 3 Votes
Dave Parks, 2 Votes
Pete Retzlaff, 1 Vote
Gale Sayers, 1 Vote
Ken Willard, 1 Vote
1966
Bart Starr, 19 Votes
Larry Wilson, 6 Votes
Don Meredith, 4 Votes
Leroy Kelly, 3 Votes
Willie Davis, 2 Votes
Gale Sayers, 2 Votes
Sonny Jurgensen, 1 Vote
Bob Lilly, 1 Vote
John Mackey, 1 Vote
Dan Reeves, 1 Vote
1967
Johnny Unitas, 40 Votes
Deacon Jones, 3 Votes
Leroy Kelly, 2 Votes
Gale Sayers, 2 Votes
1968
Earl Morrall, 33 Votes
Leroy Kelly, 5 Votes
Bill Nelsen, 4 Votes
Dick Butkus, 1 Vote
Bob Lilly, 1 Vote
John Mackey, 1 Vote
Gale Sayers, 1 Vote
1969
Roman Gabriel, 21.3 Votes
Joe Kapp, 8.3 Votes
Carl Eller, 7 Votes
Calvin Hill, 4.3 Votes
Sonny Jurgensen, 4 Votes
Dick Butkus, 1 Vote
Deacon Jones, 1 Vote
Alex Karras, 1 Vote
1970
John Brodie, 33 Votes
George Blanda, 27 Votes
Alan Page, 3 Votes
Fran Tarkenton, 3 Votes
Dick Butkus, 2 Votes
Carl Eller, 2 Votes
Mike Lucci, 2 Votes
Charlie Sanders, 2 Votes
Marlin Briscoe, 1 Vote
Manny Fernandez, 1 Vote
Ron Johnson, 1 Vote
Merlin Olsen, 1 Vote
1971
Alan Page, 16 Votes
Roger Staubach, 10 Votes
Otis Taylor, 10 Votes
Bob Griese, 9 Votes
Billy Kilmer, 4 Votes
Larry Csonka, 2 Votes
Len Dawson, 2 Votes
Paul Warfield, 2 Votes
John Brodie, 1 Vote
Carl Eller, 1 Vote
John Hadl, 1 Vote
Greg Landry, 1 Vote
Bob Lilly, 1 Vote
1972
Larry Brown, 45 Votes
Earl Morrall, 10 Votes
Larry Csonka, 4 Votes
Joe Namath, 4 Votes
O.J. Simpson, 4 Votes
Billy Kilmer, 2 Votes
Chester Marcol, 2 Votes
Franco Harris, 1 Vote
Willie Lanier, 1 Vote
Larry Little, 1 Vote
Merlin Olsen, 1 Vote
1973
O.J. Simpson, 74 Votes
John Hadl, 2 Votes
Harold Jackson, 2 Votes
1974
Ken Stabler, 36 Votes
Terry Metcalf, 10 Votes
Chuck Foreman, 5 Votes
O.J. Simpson, 1 Vote
1975
*voting numbers unknown
Fran Tarkenton
O.J. Simpson
Terry Metcalf
Chuck Foreman
Ken Anderson
Billy Kilmer
Lydell Mitchell
1976
Bert Jones, 41 Votes
Jack Lambert, 19 Votes
Ken Stabler, 16 Votes
Ken Anderson, ?
Steve Grogan, ?
O.J. Simpson, ?
Fran Tarkenton, ?
1977
Walter Payton, 57 Votes
Bob Griese, 10 Votes
Craig Morton, 10 Votes
Lyle Alzado, ?
Ray Guy, ?
Tom Jackson, ?
Lydell Mitchell, ?
Ken Stabler, ?
1978
Terry Bradshaw, 36 Votes
Earl Campbell, 33 Votes
Jim Zorn, 6 Votes
Roger Staubach, 4 Votes
1979
Earl Campbell, 34 Votes
Dan Fouts, 27 Votes
Brian Sipe, 7 Votes
Terry Bradshaw, 5 Votes
Roger Staubach, 5 Votes
Harold Carmichael, 2 Votes
Steve Largent, 2 Votes
Wilbert Montgomery, 1 Vote
Ken Stabler, 1 Vote
1980
Brian Sipe, 47 Votes
Earl Campbell, 22 Votes
Steve Bartkowski, 4 Votes
Ron Jaworski, 4 Votes
Dan Fouts, 3 Votes
1981
Ken Anderson, 46 Votes
Joe Montana, 15 Votes
Tony Dorsett, 14 Votes
Fred Dean, 2 Votes
Craig Morton, 2 Votes
Dan Fouts, 1 Vote
Ronnie Lott, 1 Vote
Chuck Muncie, 1 Vote
George Rogers, 1 Vote
Kellen Winslow, 1 Vote
1982
Mark Moseley, 35 Votes
Dan Fouts, 33 Votes
Marcus Allen, 6 Votes
Joe Theismann, 3 Votes
Danny White, 2 Votes
1983
Joe Theismann, 58 Votes
Eric Dickerson, 18 Votes
Dan Marino, 3 Votes
John Riggins, 2 Votes
Lynn Dickey, 1 Vote
Joe Montana, 1 Vote
Randy White, 1 Vote
1984
Dan Marino, 52 Votes
Eric Dickerson, 18 Votes
Walter Payton, ?
1985
Marcus Allen, 33 Votes
Walter Payton, 25 Votes
Roger Craig, ?
Dan Marino, ?
1986
Lawrence Taylor, 41 Votes
Eric Dickerson, 17 Votes
Dan Marino, 9 Votes
Joe Morris, 5 Votes
John Elway, 3 Votes
Mark Bavaro, 1 Vote
Tony Eason, 1 Vote
Joe Montana, 1 Vote
Walter Payton, 1 Vote
Jerry Rice, 1 Vote
1987
John Elway, 36 Votes
Jerry Rice, 30 Votes
Joe Montana, 18 Votes
1988
Boomer Esiason, 31 Votes
Randall Cunningham, 21 Votes
Roger Craig, 17 Votes
Mike Singletary, 6 Votes
Keith Millard, 1 Vote
Warren Moon, 1 Vote
Herschel Walker, 1 Vote
1989
Joe Montana, 62 Votes
Don Majkowski, 6 Votes
Keith Mallard, 2 Votes
1990
Joe Montana, 26 Votes
Randall Cunningham, 18 Votes
Warren Moon, 16 Votes
Bruce Smith, 11 Votes
Jim Kelly, 5 Votes
Steve DeBerg, 3 Votes
Jerry Rice, 1 Vote
1991
Thurman Thomas, 39 Votes
Jim Kelly, 18 Votes
Barry Sanders, 16 Votes
Mark Rypien, 8 Votes
Seth Joyner, 1 Vote
1992
Steve Young, 56 Votes
Barry Foster, 11 Votes
Emmitt Smith, 10 Votes
Sterling Sharpe, 2 Votes
Cortez Kennedy, 1 Vote
1993
Emmitt Smith, 26 Votes
Steve Young, 21 Votes
Jerry Rice, 15 Votes
John Elway, 10 Votes
Troy Aikman, 3 Votes
Marcus Allen, 2 Votes
Warren Moon, 2 Votes
Sterling Sharpe, 1 Vote
Phil Simms, 1 Vote
1994
Steve Young, 74 Votes
Barry Sanders, 22 Votes
Jerry Rice, 1 Vote
Deion Sanders, 1 Vote
1995
Brett Favre, 69 Votes
Jerry Rice, 10 Votes
Emmitt Smith, 7 Votes
Jim Harbaugh, 2 Votes
1996
Brett Favre, 52 Votes
John Elway, 33.5 Votes
Terrell Davis, 5.5 Votes
Jerome Bettis, 2 Votes
1997
Brett Favre, 18 Votes
Barry Sanders, 18 Votes
Terrell Davis, 4 Votes
Steve Young, 3 Votes
Jerome Bettis, 2 Votes
Dana Stubblefield, 2 Votes
Carnell Lake, 1 Vote
1998
Terrell Davis, 25 Votes
Randall Cunningham, 14 Votes
Jamal Anderson, 4 Votes
Randy Moss, 4 Votes
1999
Kurt Warner, 33 Votes
Marshall Faulk, 8 Votes
Peyton Manning, 8 Votes
Edgerrin James, 1 Vote
2000
Marshall Faulk, 24 Votes
Donovan McNabb, 11 Votes
Eddie George, 8 Votes
Rich Gannon, 5 Votes
Ray Lewis, 1 Vote
Peyton Manning, 1 Vote
2001
Kurt Warner, 21.5 Votes
Marshall Faulk, 17.5 Votes
Brett Favre, 5 Votes
Kordell Stewart, 4 Votes
Brian Urlacher, 2 Votes
2002
Rich Gannon, 19 Votes
Brett Favre, 15 Votes
Steve McNair, 11 Votes
Derrick Brooks, 1 Vote
Priest Holmes, 1 Vote
Michael Vick, 1 Vote
2003
Peyton Manning, 16 Votes
Steve McNair, 16 Votes
Tom Brady, 8 Votes
Jamal Lewis, 5 Votes
Priest Holmes, 3 Votes
Ray Lewis, 2 Votes
2004
Peyton Manning, 47 Votes
Michael Vick, 1 Vote
2005
Shaun Alexander, 19 Votes
Peyton Manning, 13 Votes
Tom Brady, 10 Votes
Tiki Barber, 6 Votes
Carson Palmer, 2 Votes
2006
LaDainian Tomlinson, 44 Votes
Drew Brees, 4 Votes
Peyton Manning, 2 Votes
2007
Tom Brady, 49 Votes
Brett Favre, 1 Vote
2008
Peyton Manning, 32 Votes
Chad Pennington, 4 Votes
Michael Turner, 4 Votes
James Harrison, 3 Votes
Adrian Peterson, 3 Votes
Philip Rivers, 2 Votes
Chris Johnson, 1 Vote
Kurt Warner, 1 Vote
2009
Peyton Manning, 39.5 Votes
Drew Brees, 7.5 Votes
Philip Rivers, 2 Votes
Brett Favre, 1 Vote
2010
Tom Brady, 50 Votes
2011
Aaron Rodgers, 48 Votes
Drew Brees, 2 Votes
2012
Adrian Peterson, 30.5 Votes
Peyton Manning, 19.5 Votes
2013
Peyton Manning, 49 Votes
Tom Brady, 1 Vote
2014
Aaron Rodgers, 31 Votes
J.J. Watt, 13 Votes
DeMarco Murray, 2 Votes
Tony Romo, 2 Votes
Tom Brady, 1 Vote
Bobby Wagner, 1 Vote
2015
Cam Newton, 48 Votes
Tom Brady, 1 Vote
Carson Palmer, 1 Vote
2016
Matt Ryan, 25 Votes
Tom Brady, 10 Votes
Derek Carr, 6 Votes
Ezekiel Elliott, 6 Votes
Aaron Rodgers, 2 Votes
Dak Prescott, 1 Vote
2017
Tom Brady, 40 Votes
Todd Gurley, 8 Votes
Carson Wentz, 2 Votes
2018
Patrick Mahomes, 41 Votes
Drew Brees, 9 Votes
2019
Lamar Jackson, 50 Votes
2020
Aaron Rodgers, 44 Votes
Josh Allen, 4 Votes
Patrick Mahomes, 2 Votes
2021
Aaron Rodgers, 39 Votes
Tom Brady, 10 Votes
