A Comprehensive NFL MVP Award Guide

The NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award has been given to someone deemed American Football’s top talent during the regular season since 1938. The reason we’ve defined MVP as the NFL’s “top talent” is because there is a debate among football fans as to what this actually means.

People often disagree on the definition of “most valuable”. Does it mean the best player in the league overall, or the best player on the best team in the league?

Table of Content:

• History of the NFL MVP Award
  • All Changed After 1946
  • The Democratization of MVP Voting
• Criteria for Selection
  • How Voters Pick the NFL’s MVP
  • Statistical Performance
  • Team Success
  • Impact on the Game
• All-Time MVPs
• Analysis of MVP Winners by Position
  • Quarterbacks
  • Running Backs
  • Other Positions
• NFL MVP FAQ

Technically, anyone can win the NFL MVP Award, so the first definition is accurate. However, when you look at the list of NFL MVPs (below), you’ll notice that winners are often on the roster of the team with the best record.

It’s a debate that highlights the significance of the NFL MVP Award in American Football. Not only does it determine the league’s top-rated player, but it’s also a measure of success for football teams in general. So, if you’re a football fan or sports bettor you can often get an insight into a team’s chances by looking at their MVP prospects.

History of the NFL MVP Award

The first NFL MVP Award was presented to Mel Hein in 1938. Hein received the Gruen Trophy (subsequently renamed the Joe F. Carr Trophy) following a vote by a panel of sportswriters. The initial run of MVP Awards was officially sanctioned by the NFL. As such, the sportswriters were chosen by league officials.

All Changed After 1946

This award was given to players until 1946, after which the NFL divested its responsibilities. Writers from United Press International (UPI) took charge of the voting process in 1947, marking the first time the NFL MVP Award wasn’t sanctioned by the NFL.

UPI remained the sole voting body until 1954, when the Sporting News began issuing its own MVP Award. The democratization of the voting process meant there could be multiple winners each year, as demonstrated in 1954 when Sporting News named Lou Groza as MVP and UPI named Joe Perry as MVP.

The Democratization of MVP Voting

The Jim Thorpe Trophy was added to the list of MVP awarding bodies in 1955, and the Associated Press joined in 1957. By 1966 the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) took the number of awarding bodies to five. This move coincided with the 1966 merger between the AFL and NFL.

It’s important to note that certain bodies would refrain from nominating players in certain years. More significantly, the players winning awards began to align over the years. Indeed, by the 1970s, it was common for the AP, PFWA, and Jim Thorpe Trophy to name the same player as the NFL MVP.

Today, the AP and PFWA are the two bodies responsible for naming the annual NFL MVP. Of those two, the NFL officially recognizes the player named by the AP.

Criteria for Selection

A total of 50 sportswriters from the Associated Press previously voted for a single player based on a set of criteria. However, in 2022, the voting process changed. Now, voters submit five names. Each name receives a score, and the player with the most points wins the NFL MVP Award.

Before we look at the metrics used to assess NFL players during the regular season, here’s how points are awarded during the voting process:

• Top pick gets 10 points.
• Second pick receives five points.
• Third pick gets three points.
• Fourth pick receives two points.
• Fifth pick gets one point.

In 2022, Patrick Mahomes was ranked in first place on 48 of the 50 ballots. That gave him 480 points, which was enough to make him that season’s Most Valuable Player.

How Voters Pick the NFL’s MVP

As we’ve said, voters assess a player’s performance across the regular season. They begin submitting their votes at the end of the season before the playoffs. The NFL MVP Award is announced the day before the Super Bowl.

There are no hard and fast rules for voting. However, some of the factors sportswriters consider are statistical performance, their team’s success, and their overall impact on the game. Let’s break it down below.

Statistical Performance

Stats are a big part of American Football, so you can determine a lot about a player’s performance by looking at these metrics:

• Passing Efficiency Rating (PER) – this stat takes into account how many passes lead to a touchdown or an interception, as well as the total number of passing yards.

• Total Yards and Touchdowns - scoring or contributing to touchdowns is important, but don’t underestimate the power of reaching the end zone.

Team Success

As we’ve said, the NFL MVP Award often goes to players from successful teams. Therefore, if a team is having a strong season, there’s a good chance they’ll be among the players nominated for MVP.

Impact on the Game

Media headlines matter when it comes to voting on the NFL MVP Award. That’s somewhat obvious, given that votes are collated from sportswriters. Therefore, if you can get a handle on what people think about certain players based on media and social media coverage, you stand a good chance of predicting the next NFL MVP.

All-Time MVPs

Here is a comprehensive list of all NFL MVP winners by year from 1957 to 2023:

Pre-Merger

Post-Merger

Analysis of MVP Winners by Position

Every player has a shot at winning the NFL MVP Award, but history tells us that some players have better odds of winning than others. So, if you’re interested in betting on the NFL MVP, here are a few things to consider:

Quarterbacks

The truth is that if you’re betting on the NFL MVP Award, your best shot at winning is by picking a quarterback. Looking through the list of NFL MVPs over time, quarterbacks have won the majority of awards.

As of 2023, 57 players had been named the undisputed MVP (i.e. voted on unanimously by all organizations). Of that number, 38 were quarterbacks. This is due to the offensive bias in the voting criteria.

As we discussed, passing yards, total yards, and touchdowns count for a lot in the voting process. This makes quarterbacks more likely to rank high during the regular season. Indeed, it’s why Peyton Manning has won the most MVP Awards (five), and Aaron Rogers is second with four.

Running Backs

Of the 57 outright winners we’ve just referenced, 16 were running backs. Again, this speaks to the weight given to offensive statistics such as PER. What’s more, like quarterbacks, running backs attract more attention from the media and fans. Therefore, this can skew the votes in their favour.

That being said, there has been a decline in running backs winning the award. Jim Brown was the first running back to be named NFL MVP in 1957. He won it again in 1958 and then again in 1965.

A smattering of winners from the 1970s to 1990s was followed by three running back MVPs in the 2000s (Marshall Faulk – 2000, Shaun Alexander – 2005, LaDainian Tomlinson – 2006). Since then, the last running back to win MVP was Adrian Peterson in 2012.

Other Positions

The era of offensive NFL MVP winners started in 1987. We say that because, since then, only quarterbacks and running backs have won the award. Prior to 1987, Lawrence Taylor won the award as a linebacker.

Although it’s fair to say that players in other positions have always struggled to win MVP, they had a better chance back in the early days because there was less emphasis on offensive plays. The exception, of course, are special teams. When the Green Bay Packers were in full flow, Paul Hornung and Jim Taylor were MVPs playing at halfback and fullback, respectively.

NFL MVP FAQ

Who is the 2024 NFL MVP?

The current betting favourite to win the 2024 NFL MVP Award is Patrick Mahomes. He won the award in 2018 and 2022. Add to this the fact he’s a quarterback who plays for the 2023 Super Bowl Winners, the Kansas City Chiefs, and there’s a strong chance he can win MVP.

Who is the NFL Rookie of The Year 2024?

The current NFL betting odds have Caleb Williams as the favourite to be named NFL Rookie of the Year 2024. Other players to consider are Jayden Daniels, Marvin Harrison Jr., and J.J. McCarthy.

Who were the last five NFL MVPs?

The last five players to win the NFL MVP Award were Lamar Jackson (2023 and 2019), Patrick Mahomes (2022 and 2018), Aaron Rogers (2020 and 2021), Tom Brady (2017), and Matt Ryan (2016).

Who has the most MVP awards in NFL history?

Peyton Manning has won the most NFL MVP Awards at the time of writing. His total of five MVPs is one more than Aaron Rodgers and two more than Tom Brady. This is one of the reasons why people consider Manning the best quarterback in history.

Who has won the NFL MVP more than once?

As of 2024, 11 NFL players had won the MVP Award more than once. The players to win multiple titles are Joe Montana (2), Steve Young (2), Kurt Warner (2), Patrick Mahomes (2), Lamar Jackson (2), Johnny Unitas (3), Jim Brown (3), Brett Favre (3), Tom Brady (3), Aaron Rodgers (4), and Peyton Manning (5).