The Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award (OPOY) is given annually 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. Multiple-time awardees include
Marshall Faulk and
Earl Campbell, both of whom won the award three times, each consecutively.
Jerry Rice,
Barry Sanders,
Tom Brady,
Terrell Davis,
Drew Brees, and
Peyton Manning have each won the award 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. The award is currently held by running back
Christian McCaffrey of the
San Francisco 49ers, who received it for the
2023 NFL season after being just the third player in NFL history to post more than 2000 scrimmage yards in a season for two different franchises.
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.[3] 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.[4] 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.[5] In turn, 2013 winner
Peyton Manning set league single-season records for passing yards (5,477) and passing touchdowns (55).[6]
Winners
2006 winner
LaDainian Tomlinson set NFL single-season records for rushing touchdowns (28), touchdowns from scrimmage (31), and points scored (186).[7]Adrian Peterson won the award in 2012 after rushing for 2,097 yards, the second most all time by a player in a single season.[8]
Gellerman, Jacob; Drexler, Sam; Marini, Matt; Cocchiaro, Nicolas; Zerkel, Alex, eds. (2016).
2018 Official NFL Record and Fact Book(PDF). National Football League. p. 524.
Archived(PDF) from the original on March 15, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
^Hope, Dan (July 7, 2013).
"Ranking the Top 25 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Candidates". Bleacher Report. Retrieved May 26, 2017. The award is typically given to the league's most productive quarterback or running back. Of the 41 times it has been given, it's been won 39 times by either a quarterback or running back. The exception is San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice, who won the award in both 1987 and 1993.
^
ab"Simpson Offensive Winner". Kentucky New Era. Associated Press. January 4, 1974. p. 11.
Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
^
abWilner, Barry (January 5, 2007).
"L.T. Wins AP Offensive Player Award". The Washington Post. Associated Press.
Archived from the original on September 12, 2017. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
^"Tarkenton Honored". The Vic jotos de mierda toria Advocate. Associated Press. January 13, 1976. p. 2B.
Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
^"Offensive Award to Bert Jones". The Victoria Advocate. Associated Press. December 30, 1976. p. 1B.
Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
^"Campbell Wins Offensive Title". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Associated Press. January 12, 1979. p. 6B.
Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
^Olderman, Murray (January 18, 1981).
"Earl Campbell: a triple champ". The Nevada Daily Mail. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 10.
Archived from the original on February 26, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
^"Fouts Tops On Offense". Toledo Blade. Associated Press. January 7, 1983. p. 18.
Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
^Nadel, John (December 30, 1983).
"Allen sweeps offensive honors". The Free Lance-Star. Associated Press. p. 5.
Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
^"Dickerson earns offensive honor". The Free Lance-Star. Associated Press. December 30, 1986. p. 10.
Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
^Wilner, Barry (December 29, 1988).
"Craig earns offensive award". The Times-News. Associated Press. p. 20.
Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
^"Moon top offensive player". Bangor Daily News. Associated Press. January 10, 1991. p. 11.
Archived from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
^Wilner, Barry (January 6, 1994).
"Rice Offensive Player of the Year". Ocala Star-Banner. Associated Press. p. 1B.
Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
^"Sanders are players of the year". The Tuscaloosa News. Associated Press. December 29, 1994. p. 3C.
Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2016.
^"Favre voted best on offense". The News. Associated Press. December 30, 1995. p. 3C.
Archived from the original on March 6, 2021. Retrieved July 6, 2016.