Sporting News began awarding a National Football League (NFL) player of the year award in 1954. From 1970 to 1979, Sporting News chose American Football Conference (AFC) and National Football Conference (NFC) players of the year, and returned to a single winner in 1980. Beginning in 2008 Sporting News chose an offensive player of the year and a defensive player of the year.[1] [2]
| Season | Player | Team | Position | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tackle, kicker | [3] | ||||
| Cleveland Browns | Quarterback | ||||
| Running back | |||||
| Cleveland Browns | |||||
| Jim Brown (2) | Cleveland Browns | ||||
| Quarterback | [4] | ||||
| Quarterback | |||||
| Running back | |||||
| New York Giants | Quarterback | ||||
| Y. A. Tittle (2) | New York Giants | Quarterback | |||
| Johnny Unitas (2) | Baltimore Colts | Quarterback | |||
| Jim Brown (3) | Cleveland Browns | Running back | |||
| Green Bay Packers | Quarterback | ||||
| Johnny Unitas (3) | Baltimore Colts | Quarterback | |||
| Baltimore Colts | Quarterback | ||||
| Quarterback | |||||
| Quarterback Quarterback, kicker | |||||
| Dallas Cowboys Miami Dolphins | Quarterback Quarterback | ||||
| NFC- Larry Brown AFC- Earl Morrall (2) | Washington Redskins Miami Dolphins | Running back Quarterback | |||
| Los Angeles Rams Buffalo Bills | Quarterback Running back | ||||
| Minnesota Vikings Oakland Raiders | Running back Quarterback | ||||
| NFC- Fran Tarkenton AFC- O. J. Simpson (2) | Minnesota Vikings Buffalo Bills | Quarterback Running back | |||
| NFC- Walter Payton AFC- Ken Stabler (2) | Chicago Bears Oakland Raiders | Running back Quarterback | |||
| Chicago Bears Denver Broncos | Running back Quarterback | ||||
| New Orleans Saints Houston Oilers | Quarterback Running back | ||||
| St. Louis Cardinals San Diego Chargers | Running back Quarterback | ||||
| Brian Sipe | Cleveland Browns | Quarterback | |||
| Quarterback | |||||
| Kicker | |||||
| Los Angeles Rams | Running back | ||||
| Miami Dolphins | Quarterback | ||||
| Running back | [5] | ||||
| New York Giants | Linebacker | ||||
| San Francisco 49ers | Wide receiver | ||||
| Cincinnati Bengals | Quarterback | ||||
| San Francisco 49ers | Quarterback | ||||
| Jerry Rice (2) | San Francisco 49ers | Wide receiver | |||
| Buffalo Bills | Running back | ||||
| San Francisco 49ers | Quarterback | ||||
| Dallas Cowboys | Running back | ||||
| Steve Young (2) | San Francisco 49ers | Quarterback | |||
| Green Bay Packers | Quarterback | ||||
| Brett Favre (2) | Green Bay Packers | Quarterback | |||
| Running back | |||||
| Denver Broncos | Running back | ||||
| Quarterback | |||||
| St. Louis Rams | Running back | ||||
| Marshall Faulk (2) | St. Louis Rams | Running back | |||
| Oakland Raiders | Quarterback | ||||
| Quarterback | |||||
| Peyton Manning (2) | Indianapolis Colts | Quarterback | |||
| Running back | |||||
| San Diego Chargers | Running back | ||||
| Quarterback | [6] | ||||
| New Orleans Saints Tennessee Titans | Quarterback Defensive tackle | [7] [8] | |||
| New Orleans Saints Green Bay Packers | Quarterback Cornerback | [9] | |||
| New England Patriots Green Bay Packers | Quarterback Linebacker | [10] | |||
| Green Bay Packers Minnesota Vikings | Quarterback Defensive end | [11] | |||
| Running back Defensive end | [12] | ||||
| Quarterback Linebacker | |||||
| Offense - Aaron Rodgers (2) Defense - J. J. Watt (2) | Green Bay Packers Houston Texans | Quarterback Defensive end | |||
| Offense - Cam Newton Defense - J. J. Watt (3) | Carolina Panthers Houston Texans | Quarterback Defensive end | |||
| New England Patriots Oakland Raiders | Quarterback Defensive end | ||||
| Quarterback Defensive end | [13] | ||||
| Kansas City Chiefs Los Angeles Rams | Quarterback Defensive tackle | [14] | |||
| Baltimore Ravens New England Patriots | Quarterback Cornerback | [15] | |||
| Offense - Patrick Mahomes (2) Defense - Aaron Donald (2) | Kansas City Chiefs Los Angeles Rams | Quarterback Defensive tackle | [16] | ||
| Indianapolis Colts Pittsburgh Steelers | Running back Linebacker | ||||
| Minnesota Vikings San Francisco 49ers | Wide receiver Defensive end | ||||
| Miami Dolphins Cleveland Browns | Wide receiver Defensive end | [17] |