The award was founded by
Murray Olderman, a sportswriter and cartoonist for the NEA.[1][13][14] It was named in honor of
Jim Thorpe, a professional football pioneer who was a player and the first president of what became the NFL.[1][15][16] At the award's inception, Olderman sent ballots to every player in the league.[17][18] Coaches joined the players in the voting process in 1975.[19] Starting in 1987, the award became a joint project between the NEA,
Jim Thorpe Association, and
National Football League Players Association (NFLPA).[20] Olderman also left the NEA that year and ended his association with the award.[18] The NFLPA took over the balloting and added
Pro Football Hall of Fame members to the voting panel in place of coaches.[21][22]
The first recipient of the Jim Thorpe Trophy was
Harlon Hill of the
Chicago Bears, who was presented the trophy by NEA sports editor
Harry Grayson in a televised halftime ceremony from the
1956 Pro Bowl in Los Angeles.[15] In addition to Pro Bowl halftimes,[23] subsequent years also saw the presentation televised on the final regular season weekend in either a pregame or halftime event.[24][25] It was even on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1958.[26] The presentation moved to the pregame show for the
NFL championship game starting in 1961.[27] In 1967, the winner was presented the trophy in a party at
CBS Television City in Los Angeles for NEA's
All-Pro selections, which was filmed and shown nationally during halftime of the Pro Bowl.[28] In subsequent years,
CBS aired a half-hour special before the Pro Bowl featuring the Jim Thorpe Trophy winner along with the All-Pros.[29][30] After years of holding an awards banquet in New York, the ceremony was discontinued around 1980. Olderman and the NEA sought a sponsor.[31] The Jim Thorpe Association of
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, took over the presentation of the trophy in 1987,[32] presenting it at the existing awards banquet for their
Jim Thorpe Award, which honors the top
defensive back in
college football.[31] The NFL trophy was redesigned that year to feature a bronze statuette of Jim Thorpe.[33]
^
abOlderman, Murray (December 25, 1969).
"Roman Gabriel Wins Jim Thorpe Award". The Gastonia Gazette. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 37.
Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved February 16, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^Olderman, Murray (December 20, 1957).
"John Unitas Wins Jim Thorpe Trophy". Miami Daily News-Record. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 5.
Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved February 16, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^Olderman, Murray (December 18, 1962).
"Thorpe Trophy Won By Packer Fullback". The Evening Sun. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 10. Retrieved February 15, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^Olderman, Murray (December 22, 1966).
"Bart Starr Is Selected Jim Thorpe Award Winner". Standard-Speaker. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 25. Retrieved February 16, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^Olderman, Murray (December 29, 1967).
"Unitas Claims Jim Thorpe Cup". The Daily Mail (Hagerstown, Maryland). Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 10. Retrieved February 16, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^Olderman, Murray (December 26, 1968).
"Earl Morrall Wins Jim Thorpe Trophy". The Daily Herald. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 12.
Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved February 16, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
^Olderman, Murray (December 29, 1970).
"John Brodie Wins The 1970 Jim Thorpe Award". Pampa Daily News. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 8.
Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved February 16, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.