Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award

Last updated
AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award
Christian McCaffrey 2019.jpg
Christian McCaffrey, the most recent recipient
Awarded forOffensive player of the year in the National Football League
Presented by Associated Press
History
First award1972
Most wins Earl Campbell, Marshall Faulk (3 each)
Most recent Christian McCaffrey

The Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award (OPOY) is given annually by the Associated Press (AP) to the offensive player in the National Football League (NFL) deemed to have had the most outstanding season. The winner is chosen by votes from a nationwide panel of sportswriters who regularly follow the NFL. Multiple-time awardees include Marshall Faulk and Earl Campbell, both of whom won the award three times, each consecutively. Jerry Rice, Barry Sanders, Tom Brady, Terrell Davis, Drew Brees, and Peyton Manning have each won the award twice. Campbell is the only player to win the award as a rookie, doing so in 1978. Warren Moon and Priest Holmes are the only undrafted players to win the award. The award is currently held by running back Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers, who received it for the 2023 NFL season after being just the third player in NFL history to post more than 2000 scrimmage yards in a season for two different franchises.

Contents

Every winner of the award has been either a running back or a quarterback, with the exception of wide receivers Jerry Rice, Michael Thomas, Cooper Kupp, and Justin Jefferson [1] Running backs have been awarded 26 times, followed by quarterbacks, with 20 awards. Of the 49 winners, 28 were also named the AP NFL Most Valuable Player in the same season. Since 2011, both awards have been given out at the annual NFL Honors ceremony along with other AP awards, including the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award and AP NFL Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year Awards. [2]

Players are often awarded after record-breaking or near-record-breaking offensive seasons. Running back O. J. Simpson won the award for 1973 after rushing for a record 2,003 yards, becoming the first NFL player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. [3] When his record was broken by Eric Dickerson in 1984, Dickerson placed second in voting behind quarterback Dan Marino, who that year was the first to pass for 5,000 yards in a season. [4] Marino's 5,084 yards stood as the record for 27 years before being broken by Drew Brees in 2011, who won that season's award. [5] In turn, 2013 winner Peyton Manning set league single-season records for passing yards (5,477) and passing touchdowns (55). [6]

Winners

2006 winner LaDainian Tomlinson set NFL single-season records for rushing touchdowns (28), touchdowns from scrimmage (31), and points scored (186). LaDainian Tomlinson vs Cleveland (cropped).jpg
2006 winner LaDainian Tomlinson set NFL single-season records for rushing touchdowns (28), touchdowns from scrimmage (31), and points scored (186).
Adrian Peterson won the award in 2012 after rushing for 2,097 yards, the second most all time by a player in a single season. Adrian Peterson.jpg
Adrian Peterson won the award in 2012 after rushing for 2,097 yards, the second most all time by a player in a single season.
SeasonPlayerPositionTeamRef.
1972 Larry Brown Running back Washington Redskins [9]
1973 O. J. Simpson Buffalo Bills [3]
1974 Ken Stabler Quarterback Oakland Raiders [10]
1975 Fran Tarkenton Minnesota Vikings [11]
1976 Bert Jones Baltimore Colts [12]
1977 Walter Payton Running back Chicago Bears [13]
1978 Earl Campbell Houston Oilers [14]
1979 Earl Campbell (2) Houston Oilers [15]
1980 Earl Campbell (3) Houston Oilers [16]
1981 Ken Anderson Quarterback Cincinnati Bengals [17]
1982 Dan Fouts San Diego Chargers [18]
1983 Joe Theismann Washington Redskins [19]
1984 Dan Marino Miami Dolphins [4]
1985 Marcus Allen Running back Los Angeles Raiders [20]
1986 Eric Dickerson Los Angeles Rams [21]
1987 Jerry Rice Wide receiver San Francisco 49ers [22]
1988 Roger Craig Running back San Francisco 49ers [23]
1989 Joe Montana Quarterback San Francisco 49ers [24]
1990 Warren Moon Houston Oilers [25]
1991 Thurman Thomas Running back Buffalo Bills [26]
1992 Steve Young Quarterback San Francisco 49ers [24]
1993 Jerry Rice (2) Wide receiver San Francisco 49ers [27]
1994 Barry Sanders Running back Detroit Lions [28]
1995 Brett Favre Quarterback Green Bay Packers [29]
1996 Terrell Davis Running back Denver Broncos [30]
1997 Barry Sanders (2) Detroit Lions [31]
1998 Terrell Davis (2) Denver Broncos [32]
1999 Marshall Faulk St. Louis Rams [33]
2000 Marshall Faulk (2) St. Louis Rams [34]
2001 Marshall Faulk (3) St. Louis Rams [35]
2002 Priest Holmes Kansas City Chiefs [36]
2003 Jamal Lewis Baltimore Ravens [37]
2004 Peyton Manning Quarterback Indianapolis Colts [38]
2005 Shaun Alexander Running back Seattle Seahawks [39]
2006 LaDainian Tomlinson San Diego Chargers [7]
2007 Tom Brady Quarterback New England Patriots [40]
2008 Drew Brees New Orleans Saints [41]
2009 Chris Johnson Running back Tennessee Titans [42]
2010 Tom Brady (2) Quarterback New England Patriots [43]
2011 Drew Brees (2) New Orleans Saints [5]
2012 Adrian Peterson Running back Minnesota Vikings [8]
2013 Peyton Manning (2) Quarterback Denver Broncos [6]
2014 DeMarco Murray Running back Dallas Cowboys [44]
2015 Cam Newton Quarterback Carolina Panthers [45]
2016 Matt Ryan Atlanta Falcons [46]
2017 Todd Gurley Running back Los Angeles Rams [47]
2018 Patrick Mahomes Quarterback Kansas City Chiefs [48]
2019 Michael Thomas Wide receiver New Orleans Saints [49]
2020 Derrick Henry Running back Tennessee Titans [50]
2021 Cooper Kupp Wide receiver Los Angeles Rams [51]
2022 Justin Jefferson Minnesota Vikings [52]
2023 Christian McCaffrey Running back San Francisco 49ers [53]

Multiple-time winners

PlayerAwardsPositionTeamSeasons
Earl Campbell 3 Running back Houston Oilers 1978, 1979, 1980
Marshall Faulk 3 Running back St. Louis Rams 1999, 2000, 2001
Jerry Rice 2 Wide receiver San Francisco 49ers 1987, 1993
Barry Sanders 2 Running back Detroit Lions 1994, 1997
Terrell Davis 2 Running back Denver Broncos 1996, 1998
Tom Brady 2 Quarterback New England Patriots 2007, 2010
Drew Brees 2 Quarterback New Orleans Saints 2008, 2011
Peyton Manning 2 Quarterback Indianapolis Colts
Denver Broncos
2004, 2013

See also

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References

General
Footnotes
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  2. "First-ever 'NFL Honors' show will be hosted by Baldwin in Indy". NFL.com. National Football League. January 3, 2012. Archived from the original on June 20, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2016.
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