NFL MVP Nuggets

After last night’s somewhat thrilling win over the Seattle Seahawks, some talking heads handed the MVP award to Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. That proclamation brought mention that it’s been 30 years since a Cowboys player has won the award. Well, that led me down an MVP rabbit hole. Except for 1960, the AP NFL MVP has been awarded since 1957. In 1960, for some reason UPI awarded the NFL MVP. There have been 68 MVPs since 1957. In 1997 and 2003, a tie vote resulted in two awards being given.

Here are some nuggets from my MVP rabbit hole.

Multiple MVPs

5: Peyton Manning (2003, 2004, 2008, 2009. 2013)

4: Aaron Rodgers (2011, 2014, 2020, 2021)

3: Jim Brown (1957, 1958, 1965)

    Johnny Unitas (1959, 1964, 1967)

    Brett Favre (1995, 1996, 1997)

    Tom Brady (2007, 2010, 2017)

2: Joe Montana (1989, 1990)

    Steve Young (1992, 1994)

    Kurt Warner (1999, 2001)

    Patrick Mahomes (2018, 2022)

By Team

10: Green Bay Packers

Paul Hornung

Jim Taylor

Bart Starr

Brett Favre (3)

Aaron Rodgers (4)

9: Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts

Johnny Unitas (3)

Earl Morrall

Bert Jones

Peyton Manning (4)

5: San Francisco 49ers

John Brodie

Joe Montana (2)

Steve Young (2)

4: Cleveland Browns 

Jim Brown (3)

Brian Sipe

4: Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams

Roman Gabriel

Kurt Warner (2)

Marshall Faulk

3: Minnesota Vikings

Alan Page

Fran Tarkenton

Adrian Peterson

3: Denver Broncos

John Elway

Terrell Davis

Peyton Manning

3: Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders

Ken Stabler

Marcus Allen

Rich Gannon

3: New England Patriots

Tom Brady (3)

3: Washington Redskins

Larry Brown

Mark Moseley

Joe Theisman

2: Buffalo Bills

O.J. Simpson

Thurman Thomas

2: Cincinnati Bengals 

Ken Anderson 

Boomer Esiason

2: Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans

Earl Campbell

Steve McNair

2: Kansas City Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes (2)

2: New York Giants

Y.A. Tittle

Lawrence Taylor

1: Atlanta Falcons

Matt Ryan

1: Baltimore Ravens

Lamar Jackson

1: Carolina Panthers

Cam Newton

1: Chicago Bears 

Walter Payton

1: Dallas Cowboys

Emmitt Smith

1: Detroit Lions 

Barry Sanders

1: Miami Dolphins

Dan Marino

1: Philadelphia Eagles

Norm Van Brocklin

1: Pittsburgh Steelers

Terry Bradshaw

1: San Diego Chargers

LaDanian Tomlinson

1: Seattle Seahawks

Shaun Alexander

By Position

47: Quarterback

18: Running Back/Halfback/Fullback

  1: Defensive Tackle

  1: Linebacker

  1: Kicker

It was a ridiculous move by the voters to select Washington kicker Mark Mosleley as league MVP in 1982. It was the strike shortened season. Perhaps those wacky writers were honoring a hacked-up season with this hacked-up vote:

Mark Moseley: 35 votes

Dan Fouts: 33 votes

Marcus Allen: 6 votes

Joe Theisman: 3 votes

Danny White: 2 votes

Dan Fouts should’ve been the NFL MVP in 1982. Now, we are stuck with a history that shows a kicker taking home the league’s top individual award.