From 1960 to 1969, the United Press International (UPI) gave the annual AFL Player of the Year award in the American Football League, whose teams in 1970 became the American Football Conference (AFC) of the new National Football League (NFL).
From 1970 — following the AFL–NFL merger — until 1996, UPI then gave two annual player of the year awards. One was given in the National Football Conference (NFC) of the new NFL. The other award was given in the American Football Conference (AFC) of the new NFL. An AFC Player of the Year was named from 1970 through 1984, won each year be an offensive player. An AFC Defensive Player of the Year was named from 1975 to 1996, and an AFC Offensive Player of the Year, which replaced the overall player of the year award in 1985, was issued until 1996.[1]
| Season | Offense | Defense[2] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Position | Player | Team | Position | ||
| Dallas Texans | Halfback | - | - | - | |||
| George Blanda (1) | Houston Oilers | Quarterback | - | - | - | ||
| Buffalo Bills | Fullback | - | - | - | |||
| San Diego Chargers | Flanker | - | - | - | |||
| Boston Patriots | Flanker, kicker | - | - | - | |||
| Buffalo Bills | Quarterback | - | - | - | |||
| Boston Patriots | Fullback | - | - | - | |||
| Daryle Lamonica (1) | Oakland Raiders | Quarterback | - | - | - | ||
| New York Jets | Quarterback | - | - | - | |||
| Daryle Lamonica (2) | Oakland Raiders | Quarterback | - | - | - | ||
| 1970 | George Blanda (2) | Oakland Raiders | Quarterback, kicker | - | - | - | |
| 1971 | Otis Taylor | Kansas City Chiefs | Wide receiver | - | - | - | |
| 1972 | O. J. Simpson (1) | Buffalo Bills | Running back | - | - | - | |
| 1973 | O. J. Simpson (2) | Buffalo Bills | Running back | - | - | - | |
| 1974 | Ken Stabler | Oakland Raiders | Quarterback | - | - | - | |
| 1975 | O. J. Simpson (3) | Buffalo Bills | Running back | Mel Blount | Pittsburgh Steelers | Cornerback | |
| 1976 | Bert Jones | Baltimore Colts | Quarterback | Jack Lambert (1) | Pittsburgh Steelers | Linebacker | |
| 1977 | Craig Morton | Denver Broncos | Quarterback | Lyle Alzado | Denver Broncos | Defensive end | |
| 1978 | Earl Campbell[3] | Houston Oilers | Running back | Denver Broncos | Linebacker | ||
| 1979 | Dan Fouts (1) | San Diego Chargers | Quarterback | Jack Lambert (2)[4] | Pittsburgh Steelers | Linbebacker | |
| 1980 | Brian Sipe | Cleveland Browns | Quarterback | Lester Hayes | Oakland Raiders | Cornerback | |
| 1981 | Ken Anderson | Cincinnati Bengals | Quarterback | Joe Klecko | New York Jets | Defensive end | |
| 1982 | Dan Fouts (2) | San Diego Chargers | Quarterback | No award | - | - | |
| 1983 | Curt Warner (1) | Seattle Seahawks | Running back | Rod Martin[5] | Los Angeles Raiders | Linebacker | |
| 1984 | Dan Marino (1) | Miami Dolphins | Quarterback | Mark Gastineau[6] | New York Jets | Defensive end | |
| 1985 | Marcus Allen | Los Angeles Raiders | Running back | Andre Tippett | New England Patriots | Linebacker | |
| 1986 | Curt Warner (2) | Seattle Seahawks | Running back | Rulon Jones | Denver Broncos | Defensive end | |
| 1987 | John Elway (1) | Denver Broncos | Quarterback | Bruce Smith (1) | Buffalo Bills | Defensive end | |
| 1988 | Boomer Esiason | Cincinnati Bengals | Quarterback | Bruce Smith (2) (tie) Cornelius Bennett (1) (tie) | Buffalo Bills | Defensive end Linebacker | |
| 1989 | Christian Okoye | Kansas City Chiefs | Running back | Michael Dean Perry | Cleveland Browns | Nose tackle | |
| 1990 | Warren Moon | Houston Oilers | Quarterback | Bruce Smith (3) | Buffalo Bills | Defensive end | |
| 1991 | Thurman Thomas | Buffalo Bills | Running back | Cornelius Bennett (2) | Buffalo Bills | Linebacker | |
| 1992 | Barry Foster | Pittsburgh Steelers | Running back | Junior Seau | San Diego Chargers | Linebacker | |
| 1993 | John Elway (2) | Denver Broncos | Quarterback | Rod Woodson | Pittsburgh Steelers | Cornerback | |
| 1994 | Dan Marino (2) | Miami Dolphins | Quarterback | Greg Lloyd | Pittsburgh Steelers | Linebacker | |
| 1995 | Jim Harbaugh | Indianapolis Colts | Quarterback | Bryce Paup | Buffalo Bills | Linebacker | |
| 1996 | Terrell Davis | Denver Broncos | Running back | Bruce Smith (4) | Buffalo Bills | Defensive end | |