how is the defensive player ever won mvp in the nfl

Jim Brown won the MVP award in the NFL in his rookie season in 1957.

	NAME	MVP	SEASON	TM	GP	YDS	YDS/G	TD	RUSH YDS	RUSH YDS/G	RUSH TD	REC YDS	REC YDS/G	REC TD	KR YDS	KR YDS/G	KR TD	PR YDS	PR YDS/G	PR TD
1	Jim Brown J. Brown	1	1957	CLE	12	1,133	94.4	10	942	78.5	9	55	4.6	1	136	11.3	0	0	0.0	0
2	Jim Brown J. Brown	1	1958	CLE	12	1,739	144.9	18	1,527	127.3	17	138	11.5	1	74	6.2	0	0	0.0	0
3	Johnny Unitas J. Unitas	1	1959	BAL	12	145	12.1	2	145	12.1	2	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0
4	Norm Van Brocklin N. Van Brocklin	1	1960	PHI	12	-13	-1.1	0	-13	-1.1	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0
5	Paul Hornung P. Hornung	1	1961	GB	12	742	61.8	10	597	49.8	8	145	12.1	2	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0
6	Jim Taylor J. Taylor	1	1962	GB	14	1,580	112.9	19	1,474	105.3	19	106	7.6	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0
7	Y.A. Tittle	1	1963	NYG	13	99	7.6	2	99	7.6	2	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0
8	Johnny Unitas J. Unitas	1	1964	BAL	14	164	11.7	2	162	11.6	2	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0
9	Jim Brown J. Brown	1	1965	CLE	14	1,872	133.7	21	1,544	110.3	17	328	23.4	4	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0
10	Bart Starr B. Starr	1	1966	GB	14	104	7.4	2	104	7.4	2	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0
11	Johnny Unitas J. Unitas	1	1967	BAL	14	89	6.4	0	89	6.4	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0
12	Earl Morrall E. Morrall	1	1968	BAL	14	18	1.3	1	18	1.3	1	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0
13	Roman Gabriel R. Gabriel	1	1969	LA	14	152	10.9	5	156	11.1	5	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0
14	John Brodie J. Brodie	1	1970	SF	14	20	1.4	2	29	2.1	2	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0
15	Alan Page A. Page	1	1971	MIN	14	8	0.6	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0
16	Larry Brown L. Brown	1	1972	WAS	12	1,689	140.8	12	1,216	101.3	8	473	39.4	4	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0
17	O.J. Simpson	1	1973	BUF	14	2,073	148.1	12	2,003	143.1	12	70	5.0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0
18	Ken Stabler K. Stabler	1	1974	OAK	14	-13	-0.9	1	-2	-0.1	1	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0
19	Fran Tarkenton F. Tarkenton	1	1975	MIN	14	105	7.5	2	108	7.7	2	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0
20	Bert Jones B. Jones	1	1976	BAL	14	214	15.3	2	214	15.3	2	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0
21	Walter Payton W. Payton	1	1977	CHI	14	2,216	158.3	16	1,852	132.3	14	269	19.2	2	95	6.8	0	0	0.0	0
22	Terry Bradshaw T. Bradshaw	1	1978	PIT	16	91	5.7	1	93	5.8	1	1	0.1	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0
23	Earl Campbell E. Campbell	1	1979	HOU	16	1,790	111.9	19	1,697	106.1	19	94	5.9	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0
24	Brian Sipe B. Sipe	1	1980	CLE	16	51	3.2	1	55	3.4	1	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0
25	Ken Anderson K. Anderson	1	1981	CIN	16	300	18.8	1	320	20.0	1	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0.0	0

Unlock 2x data

More NFL News

Mental health awareness is personal for Colts quarterback Daniel Jones

Oct 29, 2026

Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden active for game against Panthers

Oct 29, 2026

Saints' bye week brings reflections upon expectations unmet and how to spark a turnaround

Oct 29, 2026

Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman has found his home in the middle of the NFL's most dominant defense

Oct 29, 2026

Colts RB Jonathan Taylor plans to stay the course in Indianapolis despite turbulent week

Oct 29, 2026

Jets shrug off Ashton Jeanty's tackling criticism ahead of Sunday's game vs. Raiders

Oct 29, 2026

More Browns Stats

Team Leaders

PASS

1,482

Watson

RUSH

317

Judkins

REC

372

Boston

Team Rankings

PPG

19.0

28th

OPP PPG

20.9

12th

RUSH YDS/G

106.7

19th

PASS YDS/G

211.7

23rd

2026 Division Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT
Steelers	5	2	.714
Browns	5	2	.714
Bengals	4	2	.667
Ravens	4	3	.571

Schedule

DATE	MATCHUP			TIME (ET)
Sun 11/1	CLE	@	PIT	1:00 PM
Sun 11/8	CLE	@	NO	1:00 PM
Sun 11/15	HOU	@	CLE	1:00 PM
Sun 11/29	LV	@	CLE	1:00 PM
Sun 12/6	CIN	@	CLE	1:00 PM

Last Game

Browns

5 - 2

Final

Titans

1 - 6

Sun 25 Oct 2026

NFL 2026 Leaders

Pass Yards Leaders

1,989

Stafford

1,958

Love

1,877

Cousins

Rush Yards Leaders

704

Robinson

701

Walker

627

Cook

Rec Yards Leaders

867

Smith-Njigba

651

Lamb

636

Olave

Pass TD Leaders

16

Cousins

15

Purdy

15

Burrow

Rush TD Leaders

8

Williams

8

Taylor

8

Allen

Rec TD Leaders

8

Smith-Njigba

6

Watson

6

Lamb

QB Rating Leaders

112.5

Goff

110.4

Burrow

110.1

Purdy

Sack Leaders

7.5

Anderson

7.0

Young

6.0

Turner

NFL 2026 Rankings

PPG Rankings

32.8

30.7

28.1

27.2

27.0

26.5

Opp PPG Rankings

12.3

17.2

17.3

17.9

19.7

19.9

Total Yards Rankings

399.1

397.3

390.7

387.7

381.3

380.5

Rush Yards Rankings

154.3

148.8

146.4

141.7

141.5

139.9

Pass Yards Rankings

298.0

293.2

286.0

279.7

276.9

275.5

Sack Leaders

21.0

20.0

NFL Fantasy 2026

Fantasy RB Rankings

139

Gibbs

129.7

Walker

120.7

Robinson

Fantasy WR Rankings

138.2

Smith-Njigba

102.5

Lamb

95.5

Watson

Fantasy TE Rankings

71.5

Likely

71.2

McBride

70.5

Kittle

Fantasy K Rankings

89

Shrader

81

Reichard

77

McLaughlin

NFL 2026 Betting

Best Record ATS

5-2

Worst Record ATS

0-5-1

1-6

1-4-1

2-5

NFL 2026 Standings

NFC East	W	L	T	PCT
Giants	4	2	1	.643
Cowboys	3	4	0	.429
Eagles	2	5	0	.286
Commanders	1	4	1	.250
NFC North	W	L	T	PCT
Vikings	6	0	0	1.000
Bears	5	2	0	.714
Lions	4	2	0	.667
Packers	4	3	0	.571
NFC South	W	L	T	PCT
Panthers	3	3	0	.500
Falcons	3	4	0	.429
Buccaneers	2	5	0	.286
Saints	2	5	0	.286
NFC West	W	L	T	PCT
49ers	6	1	0	.857
Seahawks	4	3	0	.571
Rams	3	4	0	.429
Cardinals	2	5	0	.286

AFC East	W	L	T	PCT
Bills	5	1	0	.833
Patriots	4	3	0	.571
Jets	2	5	0	.286
Dolphins	1	5	0	.167
AFC North	W	L	T	PCT
Browns	5	2	0	.714
Steelers	5	2	0	.714
Bengals	4	2	0	.667
Ravens	4	3	0	.571
AFC South	W	L	T	PCT
Jaguars	4	2	0	.667
Colts	2	5	0	.286
Texans	2	5	0	.286
Titans	1	6	0	.143
AFC West	W	L	T	PCT
Chiefs	5	1	0	.833
Broncos	5	2	0	.714
Raiders	3	4	0	.429
Chargers	0	6	0	.000

NFL 2026 Scores & Schedule

Scores

DATE	MATCHUP			SCORE
Wed 9/9	NE	@	SEA	10-13
Thu 9/10	SF	@	LAR	27-7
Sun 9/13	CHI	@	CAR	59-37
Sun 9/13	BAL	@	IND	41-23
Sun 9/13	ATL	@	PIT	13-20

Schedule

DATE	MATCHUP			TIME (ET)
Thu 10/29	CAR	@	GB	8:15 PM
Sun 11/1	IND	@	JAX	1:00 PM
Sun 11/1	TEN	@	CIN	1:00 PM
Sun 11/1	CLE	@	PIT	1:00 PM
Sun 11/1	MIN	@	DET	1:00 PM

Jim Brown won the MVP award in the NFL in his rookie season in 1957.

Related Searches

More NFL News

More Browns Stats

1,482

317

372

NFL 2026 Leaders

1,989

1,958

1,877

704

701

627

867

651

636

16

15

15

8

8

8

8

6

6

112.5

110.4

110.1

7.5

7.0

6.0

NFL 2026 Rankings

NFL Fantasy 2026

139

129.7

120.7

138.2

102.5

95.5

71.5

71.2

70.5

89

81

77

NFL 2026 Betting

NFL 2026 Standings

NFL 2026 Scores & Schedule

Scores

Schedule