League MVPs

As you can see below, the regular season MVP is more like a "best quarterback" award, with QBs taking the honor 80% of the time over the last 30 years (and 12 of the last 13). Besides quarterbacks, running back is the only other position to be honored since Lawrence Taylor won as a linebacker in 1986.

Year	Hall of Fame?	Player	Position	Team
2023	Active	Lamar Jackson	QB	Baltimore Ravens
2022	Active	Patrick Mahomes	QB	Kansas City Chiefs
2021	Active	Aaron Rodgers	QB	Green Bay Packers
2020	Active	Aaron Rodgers	QB	Green Bay Packers
2019	Active	Lamar Jackson	QB	Baltimore Ravens
2018	Active	Patrick Mahomes	QB	Kansas City Chiefs
2017	Eligible 2028	Tom Brady	QB	New England Patriots
2016	Eligible 2028	Matt Ryan	QB	Atlanta Falcons
2015	Eligible 2027	Cam Newton	QB	Carolina Panthers
2014	Active	Aaron Rodgers	QB	Green Bay Packers
2013		Peyton Manning	QB	Denver Broncos
2012	Eligible 2027	Adrian Peterson	RB	Minnesota Vikings
2011	Active	Aaron Rodgers	QB	Green Bay Packers
2010	Eligible 2028	Tom Brady	QB	New England Patriots
2009		Peyton Manning	QB	Indianapolis Colts
2008		Peyton Manning	QB	Indianapolis Colts
2007	Eligible 2028	Tom Brady	QB	New England Patriots
2006		LaDainian Tomlinson	RB	San Diego Chargers
2005	Eligible 2014	Shaun Alexander	RB	Seattle Seahawks
2004		Peyton Manning	QB	Indianapolis Colts
2003	Eligible 2013	Steve McNair	QB	Tennessee Titans
2003		Peyton Manning	QB	Indianapolis Colts
2002	Eligible 2010	Rich Gannon	QB	Oakland Raiders
2001		Kurt Warner	QB	St. Louis Rams
2000		Marshall Faulk	RB	St. Louis Rams
1999		Kurt Warner	QB	St. Louis Rams
1998		Terrell Davis	RB	Denver Broncos
1997		Brett Favre	QB	Green Bay Packers
1997		Barry Sanders	RB	Detroit Lions
1996		Brett Favre	QB	Green Bay Packers
1995		Brett Favre	QB	Green Bay Packers
1994		Steve Young	QB	San Francisco 49ers
1993		Emmitt Smith	RB	Dallas Cowboys
1992		Steve Young	QB	San Francisco 49ers
1991		Thurman Thomas	RB	Buffalo Bills
1990		Joe Montana	QB	San Francisco 49ers
1989		Joe Montana	QB	San Francisco 49ers
1988	Eligible 2003	Boomer Esiason	QB	Cincinnati Bengals
1987		John Elway	QB	Denver Broncos
1986		Lawrence Taylor	ROLB	New York Giants
1985		Marcus Allen	RB	Los Angeles Raiders
1984		Dan Marino	QB	Miami Dolphins
1983	Eligible 1991	Joe Theismann	QB	Washington Redskins
1982	Eligible 1992	Mark Moseley	K	Washington Redskins
1981	Eligible 1992	Ken Anderson	QB	Cincinnati Bengals
1980	Eligible 1989	Brian Sipe	QB	Cleveland Browns
1979		Earl Campbell	RB	Houston Oilers
1978		Terry Bradshaw	QB	Pittsburgh Steelers
1977		Walter Payton	RB	Chicago Bears
1976	Eligible 1988	Bert Jones	QB	Baltimore Colts
1975		Fran Tarkenton	QB	Minnesota Vikings
1974		Ken Stabler	QB	Oakland Raiders
1973		O.J. Simpson	RB	Buffalo Bills
1972	Eligible 1982	Larry Brown	RB	Washington Redskins
1971		Alan Page	RDT	Minnesota Vikings
1970	Eligible 1979	John Brodie	QB	San Francisco 49ers
1969	Eligible 1983	Roman Gabriel	QB	Los Angeles Rams
1968	Eligible 1982	Earl Morrall	QB	Baltimore Colts
1967		Johnny Unitas	QB	Baltimore Colts
1966		Bart Starr	QB	Green Bay Packers
1965		Jim Brown	FB	Cleveland Browns
1964		Johnny Unitas	QB	Baltimore Colts
1963		Y.A. Tittle	QB	New York Giants
1962		Jim Taylor	FB	Green Bay Packers
1961		Paul Hornung	HB	Green Bay Packers
1960		Norm Van Brocklin	QB	Philadelphia Eagles
1959		Johnny Unitas	QB	Baltimore Colts
1958		Jim Brown	FB	Cleveland Browns
1957		Jim Brown	FB	Cleveland Browns

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