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 | |
1960 | Abner Haynes | Dallas Texans | Halfback | - | - | - |
1961 | George Blanda (1) | Houston Oilers | Quarterback | - | - | - |
1962 | Cookie Gilchrist | Buffalo Bills | Fullback | - | - | - |
1963 | Lance Alworth | San Diego Chargers | Flanker | - | - | - |
1964 | Gino Cappelletti | Boston Patriots | Flanker, kicker | - | - | - |
1965 | Paul Lowe | San Diego Chargers | Halfback | - | - | - |
1966 | Jim Nance | Boston Patriots | Fullback | - | - | - |
1967 | Daryle Lamonica (1) | Oakland Raiders | Quarterback | - | - | - |
1968 | Joe Namath | New York Jets | Quarterback | - | - | - |
1969 | 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 | Randy Gradishar | 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 |
Charles B. Joiner Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. He played 11 seasons with the San Diego Chargers, with whom he earned all three of his Pro Bowl selections, and was named first-team All-Pro in 1980. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996.
Daniel Lee Dierdorf is an American sportscaster and former professional football player. He played 13 seasons (1971–1983) as an offensive tackle for the St. Louis Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL).
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The National Football League Coach of the Year Award is presented annually by various news and sports organizations to the National Football League (NFL) head coach who has done the most outstanding job of working with the talent he has at his disposal. Currently, the most widely recognized award is presented by the Associated Press (AP), although in the past several awards received press recognition. First presented in 1957, the AP award did not include American Football League (AFL) teams. The Sporting News has given a pro football coach of the year award since 1947 and in 1949 gave its award to a non-NFL coach, Paul Brown of the All-America Football Conference's Cleveland Browns. Other NFL Coach of the Year awards are presented by Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers of America and the Maxwell Football Club. The United Press International (UPI) NFL Coach of the Year award was first presented in 1955. From 1960 to 1969, before the AFL–NFL merger, an award was also given to the most outstanding coach from the AFL. When the leagues merged in 1970, separate awards were given to the best coaches from the American Football Conference (AFC) and National Football Conference (NFC). The UPI discontinued the awards after 1996.
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.
The American Football League Most Valuable Player Award was an award given out by the AFL after voters voting for that certain player to win AFL MVP.
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