The Best NFL Player ESPY Award has been presented annually since 1993 to the National Football League player adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year, namely in the NFL season immediately precedent to the holding of the ESPY Awards ceremony.
Between 1993 and 2004, the award voting panel comprised variously fans; sportswriters and broadcasters, sports executives, and retired sportspersons, termed collectively experts; but balloting thereafter has been exclusively by fans over the Internet from amongst choices selected by the ESPN Select Nominating Committee.
Through the 2001 iteration of the ESPY Awards, ceremonies were conducted in February of each year to honor achievements over the previous calendar year; awards presented thereafter are conferred in June and reflect performance from the June previous.
In 2014, Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos became the first 3-time winner breaking a tie with Barry Sanders, Brett Favre, Marshall Faulk. Aaron Rodgers would later surpass him in 2017 when he won his fourth. The award wasn't awarded in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Winners Player was a member of the winning team in the Super Bowl. Player was a member of the losing team in the Super Bowl. * NFL MVP† Super Bowl MVP
Year Player Team represented Position played 1993 Emmitt Smith Dallas Cowboys Running back 1994 Emmitt Smith (2)*† Dallas Cowboys Running back 1995 Barry Sanders Detroit Lions Running back 1996 Brett Favre* Green Bay Packers Quarterback 1997 Brett Favre (2)* Green Bay Packers Quarterback 1998 Barry Sanders (2)* Detroit Lions Running back 1999 Terrell Davis* Denver Broncos Running back 2000 Kurt Warner*† St. Louis Rams Quarterback 2001 Marshall Faulk* St. Louis Rams Running back 2002 Marshall Faulk (2) St. Louis Rams Running back 2003 Michael Vick Atlanta Falcons Quarterback 2004 Peyton Manning* Indianapolis Colts Quarterback 2005 Peyton Manning (2)* Indianapolis Colts Quarterback 2006 Shaun Alexander* Seattle Seahawks Running back 2007 LaDainian Tomlinson* San Diego Chargers Running back 2008 Tom Brady* New England Patriots Quarterback 2009 Larry Fitzgerald Arizona Cardinals Wide receiver 2010 Drew Brees† New Orleans Saints Quarterback 2011 Aaron Rodgers† Green Bay Packers Quarterback 2012 Aaron Rodgers (2)* Green Bay Packers Quarterback 2013 Adrian Peterson* Minnesota Vikings Running back 2014 Peyton Manning (3)* Denver Broncos Quarterback 2015 Aaron Rodgers (3)* Green Bay Packers Quarterback 2016 Cam Newton* Carolina Panthers Quarterback 2017 Aaron Rodgers (4) Green Bay Packers Quarterback 2018 Tom Brady (2)* New England Patriots Quarterback 2019 Patrick Mahomes* Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback 2020Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic 2021 Tom Brady (3)† Tampa Bay Buccaneers Quarterback 2022 Cooper Kupp† Los Angeles Rams Wide receiver 2023 Patrick Mahomes (2)*† Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback 2024 Patrick Mahomes (3)† Kansas City Chiefs Quarterback 2025 Saquon Barkley Philadelphia Eagles Running back 2026 Myles Garrett Cleveland Browns Defensive end
Multiple-time winners Ranking Player Position Team Number of Awards Years 1 Aaron Rodgers QB Green Bay Packers 4 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017 2 Peyton Manning QB Indianapolis Colts/Denver Broncos 3 2004, 2005, 2014 Tom Brady QB New England Patriots/Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3 2008, 2018, 2021 Patrick Mahomes QB Kansas City Chiefs 3 2019, 2023, 2024 3 Emmitt Smith RB Dallas Cowboys 2 1993, 1994 Brett Favre QB Green Bay Packers 2 1996, 1997 Barry Sanders RB Detroit Lions 2 1995, 1998 Marshall Faulk RB St. Louis Rams 2 2001, 2002
See also National Football League Most Valuable Player Award NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award UPI AFL-AFC Player of the Year UPI NFC Player of the Year
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