Passer Rating vs EPA: Which Tells You More?
Why we rank quarterbacks by EPA per dropback, and what passer rating still gets right.
Read Article →AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year: Winners by Year 1972–2025
The Associated Press's choice for the NFL's best offensive player of the season, awarded since 1972.
All AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year Winners by Season
| Season | Winner | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Jaxon Smith-Njigba | Wide receiver | Seattle Seahawks |
| 2024 | Saquon Barkley | Running back | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 2023 | Christian McCaffrey | Running back | San Francisco 49ers |
| 2022 | Justin Jefferson | Wide receiver | Minnesota Vikings |
| 2021 | Cooper Kupp | Wide receiver | Los Angeles Rams |
| 2020 | Derrick Henry | Running back | Tennessee Titans |
| 2019 | Michael Thomas | Wide receiver | New Orleans Saints |
| 2018 | Patrick Mahomes | Quarterback | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 2017 | Todd Gurley | Running back | Los Angeles Rams |
| 2016 | Matt Ryan | Quarterback | Atlanta Falcons |
| 2015 | Cam Newton | Quarterback | Carolina Panthers |
| 2014 | DeMarco Murray | Running back | Dallas Cowboys |
| 2013 | Peyton Manning | Quarterback | Denver Broncos |
| 2012 | Adrian Peterson | Running back | Minnesota Vikings |
| 2011 | Drew Brees | Quarterback | New Orleans Saints |
| 2010 | Tom Brady | Quarterback | New England Patriots |
| 2009 | Chris Johnson | Running back | Tennessee Titans |
| 2008 | Drew Brees | Quarterback | New Orleans Saints |
| 2007 | Tom Brady | Quarterback | New England Patriots |
| 2006 | LaDainian Tomlinson | Running back | San Diego Chargers |
| 2005 | Shaun Alexander | Running back | Seattle Seahawks |
| 2004 | Peyton Manning | Quarterback | Indianapolis Colts |
| 2003 | Jamal Lewis | Running back | Baltimore Ravens |
| 2002 | Priest Holmes | Running back | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 2001 | Marshall Faulk | Running back | St. Louis Rams |
| 2000 | Marshall Faulk | Running back | St. Louis Rams |
| 1999 | Marshall Faulk | Running back | St. Louis Rams |
| 1998 | Terrell Davis | Running back | Denver Broncos |
| 1997 | Barry Sanders | Running back | Detroit Lions |
| 1996 | Terrell Davis | Running back | Denver Broncos |
| 1995 | Brett Favre | Quarterback | Green Bay Packers |
| 1994 | Barry Sanders | Running back | Detroit Lions |
| 1993 | Jerry Rice | Wide receiver | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1992 | Steve Young | Quarterback | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1991 | Thurman Thomas | Running back | Buffalo Bills |
| 1990 | Warren Moon | Quarterback | Houston Oilers |
| 1989 | Joe Montana | Quarterback | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1988 | Roger Craig | Running back | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1987 | Jerry Rice | Wide receiver | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1986 | Eric Dickerson | Running back | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1985 | Marcus Allen | Running back | Los Angeles Raiders |
| 1984 | Dan Marino | Quarterback | Miami Dolphins |
| 1983 | Joe Theismann | Quarterback | Washington Redskins |
| 1982 | Dan Fouts | Quarterback | San Diego Chargers |
| 1981 | Ken Anderson | Quarterback | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 1980 | Earl Campbell | Running back | Houston Oilers |
| 1979 | Earl Campbell | Running back | Houston Oilers |
| 1978 | Earl Campbell | Running back | Houston Oilers |
| 1977 | Walter Payton | Running back | Chicago Bears |
| 1976 | Bert Jones | Quarterback | Baltimore Colts |
| 1975 | Fran Tarkenton | Quarterback | Minnesota Vikings |
| 1974 | Ken Stabler | Quarterback | Oakland Raiders |
| 1973 | O. J. Simpson | Running back | Buffalo Bills |
| 1972 | Larry Brown | Running back | Washington Redskins |
Seasons are numbered by the NFL season, so the 2025 season ends with the Super Bowl played in early 2026. 16 of 54 winners have a player page here: our NFL data starts in 2016, and only quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and tight ends are in it. Source: Wikipedia, AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
Honors are compiled from public award and league lists; the list text comes from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). A name links to a player page when we have that player in our data and the match is certain; winners from before our data have no link. See an error? Tell us.
QBS BLOG · PASSING QUESTIONS · MINDSET
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