From 1970 to 1984, United Press International (UPI) awarded the NFC Player of the Year award to players from the National Football League's National Football Conference (NFC). An NFC Defensive Player of the Year was named from 1975 to 1996, and an NFC Offensive Player of the Year, which replaced the overall player of the year award in 1985, was issued until 1996.[1]
| Season | Player | Team | Position | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | John Brodie | San Francisco 49ers | Quarterback | |
| 1971 | Alan Page | Minnesota Vikings | Defensive tackle | |
| 1972 | Larry Brown | Washington Redskins | Running back | |
| 1973 | John Hadl | Los Angeles Rams | Quarterback | |
| 1974 | Jim Hart | St. Louis Cardinals | Quarterback |
| Season | Offense | Defense | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Position | Player | Team | Position | ||
| 1975 | Fran Tarkenton[2] | Minnesota Vikings | Quarterback | Jack Youngblood | Los Angeles Rams | Defensive end | |
| 1976 | Chuck Foreman | Minnesota Vikings | Running back | Wally Chambers | Chicago Bears | Defensive tackle | |
| 1977 | Walter Payton (1) | Chicago Bears | Running back | Harvey Martin | Dallas Cowboys | Defensive tackle | |
| 1978 | Archie Manning | New Orleans Saints | Quarterback | Randy White | Dallas Cowboys | Defensive tackle | |
| 1979 | Ottis Anderson | St. Louis Cardinals | Running back | Lee Roy Selmon | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Defensive end | |
| 1980 | Ron Jaworski[3] | Philadelphia Eagles | Quarterback | Nolan Cromwell | Los Angeles Rams | Safety | |
| 1981 | Tony Dorsett | Dallas Cowboys | Running back | Fred Dean | San Francisco 49ers | Defensive end | |
| 1982 | Mark Moseley | Washington Redskins | Kicker | No award | - | - | |
| 1983 | Eric Dickerson (1) | Los Angeles Rams | Running back | Lawrence Taylor (1) | New York Giants | Linebacker | |
| 1984 | Eric Dickerson (2) | Los Angeles Rams | Running back | Mike Singletary (1) | Chicago Bears | Linebacker | |
| 1985 | Walter Payton (2) | Chicago Bears | Running back | Mike Singletary (2) | Chicago Bears | Linebacker | |
| 1986 | Eric Dickerson (3) | Los Angeles Rams | Running back | Lawrence Taylor (2) | New York Giants | Linebacker | |
| 1987 | Jerry Rice[4] | San Francisco 49ers | Wide receiver | Reggie White (1) | Philadelphia Eagles | Defensive end | |
| 1988 | Roger Craig | San Francisco 49ers | Running back | Mike Singletary (3) | Chicago Bears | Linebacker | |
| 1989 | Joe Montana | San Francisco 49ers | Quarterback | Keith Millard | Minnesota Vikings | Defensive tackle | |
| 1990 | Randall Cunningham | Philadelphia Eagles | Quarterback | Charles Haley (1) | San Francisco 49ers | Linebacker | |
| 1991 | Mark Rypien | Washington Redskins | Quarterback | Reggie White (2) | Philadelphia Eagles | Defensive end | |
| 1992 | Steve Young (1) | San Francisco 49ers | Quarterback | Chris Doleman | Minnesota Vikings | Defensive end | |
| 1993 | Emmitt Smith | Dallas Cowboys | Running back | Eric Allen | Philadelphia Eagles | Cornerback | |
| 1994 | Steve Young (2) | San Francisco 49ers | Quarterback | Charles Haley (2) | Dallas Cowboys | Defensive end | |
| 1995 | Brett Favre (1) | Green Bay Packers | Quarterback | Reggie White (3) | Green Bay Packers | Defensive end | |
| 1996 | Brett Favre (2) | Green Bay Packers | Quarterback | Kevin Greene | Carolina Panthers | Linebacker | |