A Look at the Historical Votes for the MVP Award

Published on January 28th, 2023 4:53 pm EST
Written By: Dave Manuel


The voting history of the NFL MVP Award.  In photo:  Joe Montana looking up. 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

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