Bert Bell Award

For the NFL rookie award, see NEA NFL Rookie of the Year.

The Bert Bell Award is presented by the Maxwell Football Club to the player of the year in the National Football League (NFL). The award is named in honor of Bert Bell (1895–1959), commissioner of the NFL and founder of the Maxwell Club. Voters for the Pro Awards are NFL owners, football personnel, head and assistant coaches as well as members of the Maxwell Football Club, national media, and local media.^[1] The award consists of a trophy in the form of a statue in the likeness of Bell. The award is presented at the club's annual football banquet.

Bert Bell Award

Professional Football Player of the Year
Awarded for	NFL player of the year
Country	United States
Presented by	Maxwell Football Club
History
First award	1959
Most wins	Peyton Manning, Randall Cunningham, & Johnny Unitas (3)
Most recent	Saquon Barkley

Winners

Season	Player	Position	Team	Ref
1959	Johnny Unitas	Quarterback	Baltimore Colts	[2]
1960	Norm Van Brocklin	Quarterback	Philadelphia Eagles	[3]
1961	Paul Hornung	Running back	Green Bay Packers	[4]
1962	Andy Robustelli	Defensive end	New York Giants	[5]
1963	Jim Brown	Running back	Cleveland Browns	[6]
1964	Johnny Unitas (2)	Quarterback	Baltimore Colts	[7]
1965	Pete Retzlaff	Tight end	Philadelphia Eagles	[8]
1966	Don Meredith	Quarterback	Dallas Cowboys	[9]
1967	Johnny Unitas (3)	Quarterback	Baltimore Colts	[10]
1968	Leroy Kelly	Running back	Cleveland Browns	[11]
1969	Roman Gabriel	Quarterback	Los Angeles Rams	[12]
1970	George Blanda	Quarterback	Oakland Raiders	[13]
1971	Roger Staubach	Quarterback	Dallas Cowboys	[14]
1972	Larry Brown	Running back	Washington Redskins	[15]
1973	O. J. Simpson	Running back	Buffalo Bills	[16]
1974	Merlin Olsen	Defensive tackle	Los Angeles Rams	[17]
1975	Fran Tarkenton	Quarterback	Minnesota Vikings	[18]
1976	Ken Stabler	Quarterback	Oakland Raiders	[19]
1977	Bob Griese	Quarterback	Miami Dolphins	[20]
1978	Terry Bradshaw	Quarterback	Pittsburgh Steelers	[21]
1979	Earl Campbell	Running back	Houston Oilers	[22]
1980	Ron Jaworski	Quarterback	Philadelphia Eagles	[23]
1981	Ken Anderson	Quarterback	Cincinnati Bengals	[24]
1982	Joe Theismann	Quarterback	Washington Redskins	[25]
1983	John Riggins	Running back	Washington Redskins	[26]
1984	Dan Marino	Quarterback	Miami Dolphins	[27]
1985	Walter Payton	Running back	Chicago Bears	[28]
1986	Lawrence Taylor	Linebacker	New York Giants	[29]
1987	Jerry Rice	Wide receiver	San Francisco 49ers	[8]
1988	Randall Cunningham	Quarterback	Philadelphia Eagles	[30]
1989	Joe Montana	Quarterback	San Francisco 49ers	[1]
1990	Randall Cunningham (2)	Quarterback	Philadelphia Eagles	[31]
1991	Barry Sanders	Running back	Detroit Lions	[32]
1992	Steve Young	Quarterback	San Francisco 49ers	[33]
1993	Emmitt Smith	Running back	Dallas Cowboys	[34]
1994	Steve Young (2)	Quarterback	San Francisco 49ers	[34]
1995	Brett Favre	Quarterback	Green Bay Packers	[34]
1996	Brett Favre (2)	Quarterback	Green Bay Packers	[34]
1997	Barry Sanders (2)	Running back	Detroit Lions	[34]
1998	Randall Cunningham (3)	Quarterback	Minnesota Vikings	[34]
1999	Kurt Warner	Quarterback	St. Louis Rams	[34]
2000	Rich Gannon	Quarterback	Oakland Raiders	[34]
2001	Marshall Faulk	Running back	St. Louis Rams	[34]
2002	Rich Gannon (2)	Quarterback	Oakland Raiders	[34]
2003	Peyton Manning	Quarterback	Indianapolis Colts	[34]
2004	Peyton Manning (2)	Quarterback	Indianapolis Colts	[34]
2005	Shaun Alexander	Running back	Seattle Seahawks	[34]
2006	LaDainian Tomlinson	Running back	San Diego Chargers	[34]
2007	Tom Brady	Quarterback	New England Patriots	[34]
2008	Adrian Peterson	Running back	Minnesota Vikings	[34]
2009	Drew Brees	Quarterback	New Orleans Saints	[34]
2010	Michael Vick	Quarterback	Philadelphia Eagles	[34]
2011	Aaron Rodgers	Quarterback	Green Bay Packers	[34]
2012	Adrian Peterson (2)	Running back	Minnesota Vikings	[34]
2013	Peyton Manning (3)	Quarterback	Denver Broncos	[34]
2014	J. J. Watt	Defensive end	Houston Texans	[34]
2015	Cam Newton	Quarterback	Carolina Panthers	[35]
2016	Matt Ryan	Quarterback	Atlanta Falcons	[36]
2017	Carson Wentz	Quarterback	Philadelphia Eagles	[37]
2018	Patrick Mahomes	Quarterback	Kansas City Chiefs	[37]
2019	Lamar Jackson	Quarterback	Baltimore Ravens	[37]
2020	No award given.
2021	Jonathan Taylor	Running back	Indianapolis Colts	[38]
2022	Jalen Hurts	Quarterback	Philadelphia Eagles	[37]
2023	Lamar Jackson (2)	Quarterback	Baltimore Ravens	[37]
2024	Saquon Barkley	Running back	Philadelphia Eagles	[37]

See also

• NFL Most Valuable Player Award
• List of NFL awards