The AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY) is an annual award presented 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. Marshall Faulk and Earl Campbell are the only players to have won the award three times, in three consecutive seasons. Jerry Rice, Barry Sanders, Terrell Davis, Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Peyton Manning have each won it 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. Manning is the only player to win the award with two different teams, doing so in 2004 with the Indianapolis Colts and in 2013 with the Denver Broncos. The most recent winner is wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba of the Seattle Seahawks, who received it for the 2025 NFL season.
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, Justin Jefferson, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.. Running backs have been awarded 26 times, followed by quarterbacks, with 20 awards. Of the 53 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 Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards.
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. 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. 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. In turn, 2013 winner Peyton Manning set league single-season records for passing yards (5,477) and passing touchdowns (55).
Winners
+ List of AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year winnersSeasonPlayerPositionTeam1972Running backWashington Redskins1973Buffalo Bills1974QuarterbackOakland Raiders1975Minnesota Vikings1976Baltimore Colts1977Running backChicago Bears1978Houston Oilers1979 Houston Oilers1980 Houston Oilers1981QuarterbackCincinnati Bengals1982San Diego Chargers1983Washington Redskins1984Miami Dolphins1985Running backLos Angeles Raiders1986Los Angeles Rams1987Wide receiverSan Francisco 49ers1988Running backSan Francisco 49ers1989QuarterbackSan Francisco 49ers1990Houston Oilers1991Running backBuffalo Bills1992QuarterbackSan Francisco 49ers1993 Wide receiverSan Francisco 49ers1994Running backDetroit Lions1995QuarterbackGreen Bay Packers1996Running backDenver Broncos1997 Detroit Lions1998 Denver Broncos1999St. Louis Rams2000 St. Louis Rams2001 St. Louis Rams2002Kansas City Chiefs2003Baltimore Ravens2004QuarterbackIndianapolis Colts2005Running backSeattle Seahawks2006San Diego Chargers2007QuarterbackNew England Patriots2008New Orleans Saints2009Running backTennessee Titans2010 QuarterbackNew England Patriots2011 New Orleans Saints2012Running backMinnesota Vikings2013 QuarterbackDenver Broncos2014Running backDallas Cowboys2015QuarterbackCarolina Panthers2016Atlanta Falcons2017Running backLos Angeles Rams2018QuarterbackKansas City Chiefs2019Wide receiverNew Orleans Saints2020Running backTennessee Titans 2021Wide receiverLos Angeles Rams 2022Minnesota Vikings 2023Running backSan Francisco 49ers 2024Philadelphia Eagles 2025Wide receiverSeattle Seahawks
Multiple-time winners + List of multiple-time winnersAwardsPlayerTeam(s)Years3Earl CampbellHouston Oilers1978, 1979, 1980Marshall FaulkSt. Louis Rams1999, 2000, 20012Barry SandersDetroit Lions1994, 1997Drew BreesNew Orleans Saints2008, 2011Jerry RiceSan Francisco 49ers1987, 1993Peyton ManningIndianapolis Colts (1) / Denver Broncos (1)2004, 2013Terrell DavisDenver Broncos1996, 1998Tom BradyNew England Patriots2007, 2010
See also AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year
References General
Footnotes