<Tr> <Td> 2016 </Td> <Td> Matt Ryan </Td> <Td> Atlanta Falcons </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2017 </Td> <Td> Tom Brady (3) </Td> <Td> New England Patriots </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <P> Sporting News began awarding a National Football League (NFL) player of the year award in 1954 . From 1970 to 1979, Sporting News chose American Football Conference (AFC) and National Football Conference (NFC) players of the year, and returned to a single winner in 1980 . Beginning in 2012 Sporting News chose an offensive player of the year and a defensive player of the year . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th> Season </Th> <Th> Player </Th> <Th> Team </Th> <Th> Position </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1954 </Td> <Td> Lou Groza </Td> <Td> Cleveland Browns </Td> <Td> Tackle - K </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1955 </Td> <Td> Otto Graham </Td> <Td> Cleveland Browns </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1956 </Td> <Td> Frank Gifford </Td> <Td> New York Giants </Td> <Td> Running back </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1957 </Td> <Td> Jim Brown </Td> <Td> Cleveland Browns </Td> <Td> Fullback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1958 </Td> <Td> Jim Brown (2) </Td> <Td> Cleveland Browns </Td> <Td> Fullback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1959 </Td> <Td> Johnny Unitas </Td> <Td> Baltimore Colts </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1960 </Td> <Td> Norm Van Brocklin </Td> <Td> Philadelphia Eagles </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1961 </Td> <Td> Paul Hornung </Td> <Td> Green Bay Packers </Td> <Td> Running back </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1962 </Td> <Td> Y.A. Tittle </Td> <Td> New York Giants </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1963 </Td> <Td> Y.A. Tittle (2) </Td> <Td> New York Giants </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1964 </Td> <Td> Johnny Unitas (2) </Td> <Td> Baltimore Colts </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1965 </Td> <Td> Jim Brown (3) </Td> <Td> Cleveland Browns </Td> <Td> Running back </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1966 </Td> <Td> Bart Starr </Td> <Td> Green Bay Packers </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1967 </Td> <Td> Johnny Unitas (3) </Td> <Td> Baltimore Colts </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1968 </Td> <Td> Earl Morrall </Td> <Td> Baltimore Colts </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1969 </Td> <Td> Roman Gabriel </Td> <Td> Los Angeles Rams </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1970 </Td> <Td> NFC - John Brodie AFC - George Blanda </Td> <Td> San Francisco 49ers Oakland Raiders </Td> <Td> Quarterback QB - K </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1971 </Td> <Td> NFC - Roger Staubach AFC - Bob Griese </Td> <Td> Dallas Cowboys Miami Dolphins </Td> <Td> Quarterback Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1972 </Td> <Td> NFC - Larry Brown AFC - Earl Morrall (2) </Td> <Td> Washington Redskins Miami Dolphins </Td> <Td> Running back Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1973 </Td> <Td> NFC - John Hadl AFC - O.J. Simpson </Td> <Td> Los Angeles Rams Buffalo Bills </Td> <Td> Quarterback Running back </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> NFC - Chuck Foreman AFC - Ken Stabler </Td> <Td> Minnesota Vikings Oakland Raiders </Td> <Td> Running back Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> NFC - Fran Tarkenton AFC - O.J. Simpson (2) </Td> <Td> Minnesota Vikings Buffalo Bills </Td> <Td> Quarterback Running Back </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1976 </Td> <Td> NFC - Walter Payton AFC - Ken Stabler (2) </Td> <Td> Chicago Bears Oakland Raiders </Td> <Td> Running back Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1977 </Td> <Td> NFC - Walter Payton (2) AFC - Craig Morton </Td> <Td> Chicago Bears Denver Broncos </Td> <Td> Running back Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1978 </Td> <Td> NFC - Archie Manning AFC - Earl Campbell </Td> <Td> New Orleans Saints Houston Oilers </Td> <Td> Quarterback Running back </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1979 </Td> <Td> NFC - Ottis Anderson AFC - Dan Fouts </Td> <Td> St. Louis Cardinals San Diego Chargers </Td> <Td> Running back Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1980 </Td> <Td> Brian Sipe </Td> <Td> Cleveland Browns </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1981 </Td> <Td> Ken Anderson </Td> <Td> Cincinnati Bengals </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1982 </Td> <Td> Mark Moseley </Td> <Td> Washington Redskins </Td> <Td> Kicker </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Eric Dickerson </Td> <Td> Los Angeles Rams </Td> <Td> Running back </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1984 </Td> <Td> Dan Marino </Td> <Td> Miami Dolphins </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1985 </Td> <Td> Marcus Allen </Td> <Td> Los Angeles Raiders </Td> <Td> Running back </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1986 </Td> <Td> Lawrence Taylor </Td> <Td> New York Giants </Td> <Td> Linebacker </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Jerry Rice </Td> <Td> San Francisco 49ers </Td> <Td> Wide Receiver </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1988 </Td> <Td> Boomer Esiason </Td> <Td> Cincinnati Bengals </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1989 </Td> <Td> Joe Montana </Td> <Td> San Francisco 49ers </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1990 </Td> <Td> Jerry Rice (2) </Td> <Td> San Francisco 49ers </Td> <Td> Wide Receiver </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1991 </Td> <Td> Thurman Thomas </Td> <Td> Buffalo Bills </Td> <Td> Running back </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1992 </Td> <Td> Steve Young </Td> <Td> San Francisco 49ers </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1993 </Td> <Td> Emmitt Smith </Td> <Td> Dallas Cowboys </Td> <Td> Running back </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1994 </Td> <Td> Steve Young (2) </Td> <Td> San Francisco 49ers </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1995 </Td> <Td> Brett Favre </Td> <Td> Green Bay Packers </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Brett Favre (2) </Td> <Td> Green Bay Packers </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1997 </Td> <Td> Barry Sanders </Td> <Td> Detroit Lions </Td> <Td> Running back </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1998 </Td> <Td> Terrell Davis </Td> <Td> Denver Broncos </Td> <Td> Running back </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 1999 </Td> <Td> Kurt Warner </Td> <Td> St. Louis Rams </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2000 </Td> <Td> Marshall Faulk </Td> <Td> St. Louis Rams </Td> <Td> Running back </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2001 </Td> <Td> Marshall Faulk (2) </Td> <Td> St. Louis Rams </Td> <Td> Running back </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2002 </Td> <Td> Rich Gannon </Td> <Td> Oakland Raiders </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2003 </Td> <Td> Peyton Manning </Td> <Td> Indianapolis Colts </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Peyton Manning (2) </Td> <Td> Indianapolis Colts </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2005 </Td> <Td> Shaun Alexander </Td> <Td> Seattle Seahawks </Td> <Td> Running back </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2006 </Td> <Td> LaDainian Tomlinson </Td> <Td> San Diego Chargers </Td> <Td> Running back </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2007 </Td> <Td> Tom Brady </Td> <Td> New England Patriots </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2008 </Td> <Td> Peyton Manning (3) </Td> <Td> Indianapolis Colts </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2009 </Td> <Td> Peyton Manning (4) </Td> <Td> Indianapolis Colts </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Tom Brady (2) </Td> <Td> New England Patriots </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2011 </Td> <Td> Aaron Rodgers </Td> <Td> Green Bay Packers </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2012 </Td> <Td> Adrian Peterson </Td> <Td> Minnesota Vikings </Td> <Td> Running back </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2013 </Td> <Td> Peyton Manning (5) </Td> <Td> Denver Broncos </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2014 </Td> <Td> Aaron Rodgers (2) </Td> <Td> Green Bay Packers </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2015 </Td> <Td> Cam Newton </Td> <Td> Carolina Panthers </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2016 </Td> <Td> Tom Brady (3) </Td> <Td> New England Patriots </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> 2017 </Td> <Td> Tom Brady (4) </Td> <Td> New England Patriots </Td> <Td> Quarterback </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Who votes for nfl player of the year