Who Is the Most Valuable Player in the NFL? Complete MVP Winners List (2010–2026)

NFL MVP winners list captures the evolution of football’s highest individual honor, a race that feels like a high-stakes chess match played at 100 miles per hour. Since 2010, the battle for the Most Valuable Player award has shifted from legendary icons to dynamic young stars delivering record-breaking seasons. From the surgical precision of Tom Brady to the dual-threat wizardry of Lamar Jackson, the NFL MVP winners list tells the story of how the game—and its definition of greatness—has evolved over the past decade and a half.

The New King of the Hill: 2025–2026 Update

The most recent addition to the NFL MVP winners list is none other than Matthew Stafford. In a thrilling announcement at the 2026 NFL Honors on February 5th, the Los Angeles Rams quarterback edged out New England’s rising star Drake Maye in one of the closest votes in history. At 37 years old, Stafford proved that age is just a number, throwing for 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns to secure his first-ever MVP trophy.

The Golden Era: NFL MVP Winners List (2010–2026)

Below is the definitive NFL MVP winners list spanning from the twilight of the Peyton Manning era to the modern dominance of today’s elite signal-callers.

Quarterback Dominance and the Lone RB

If you look closely at the NFL MVP winners list, you’ll notice a recurring theme: the “Q” word. Out of the last 16 winners, 15 have been quarterbacks. The only man to break the streak was Adrian Peterson in 2012, who put up a historic 2,097 rushing yards just months after a devastating ACL tear. Since then, the league has leaned heavily into the passing game, making it nearly impossible for any other position to crack the top of the NFL MVP winners list.

Multi-Time Winners: The Elite Club

Earning one MVP is a career-defining achievement, but appearing multiple times on the NFL MVP winners list is the stuff of Hall of Fame immortality. Aaron Rodgers has dominated the modern era with four total wins, while Peyton Manning still holds the all-time record with five. Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson are the youngest “repeat offenders” on the NFL MVP winners list, signaling a potential shift in power that could last for the next decade.

How the MVP is Decided

You might wonder how names actually land on the NFL MVP winners list. The award is decided by a panel of 50 sportswriters from the Associated Press (AP). They vote at the end of the regular season, meaning playoff performance doesn’t count—which explains why some players on the NFL MVP winners list don’t always walk away with a Super Bowl ring in the same year.

Looking Ahead to 2026 and Beyond

As we move into the 2026 season, the question is whether a young star like Drake Maye or C.J. Stroud can finally push their way onto the NFL MVP winners list. With Matthew Stafford confirming his return for the 2026 season, the competition will be fiercer than ever. The NFL MVP winners list is never static; it’s a living record of the greatest individual performances in sports history.