Most Valuable Players

This is a list of professional athletes who have received a league-wide Most Valuable Player award (or equivalent, such as "Player of the Year") for a season in a professional sports league.
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NameYearSportLeagueOther Names
Aaron Judge2022baseballMLB (AL)(James)
Aaron Rodgers2011footballNFL
Aaron Rodgers2014footballNFL
Aaron Rodgers2020footballNFL
Aaron Rodgers2021footballNFL
Adrian Peterson2012footballNFL
Al Rollins1954ice hockeyNHL(Elwin, Ira)
Al Rosen1953baseballMLB (AL)(Albert)
Alan Page1971footballNFL
Albert Pujols2005baseballMLB (NL)
Albert Pujols2008baseballMLB (NL)
Albert Pujols2009baseballMLB (NL)
Albert "Babe" Siebert1937ice hockeyNHL(Babe)
Alex Rodriguez2003baseballMLB (AL)(Alexander)
Alex Rodriguez2005baseballMLB (AL)(Alexander)
Alex Rodriguez2007baseballMLB (AL)(Alexander)
Alexander Ovechkin2008ice hockeyNHL
Alexander Ovechkin2009ice hockeyNHL
Alexander Ovechkin2013ice hockeyNHL
Allen Iverson2001basketballNBA
Andre Dawson1987baseballMLB (NL)
Andrew McCutchen2013baseballMLB (NL)
Andy Bathgate1959ice hockeyNHL(Andrew)
Aurèle Joliat1934ice hockeyNHL
Auston Matthews2022ice hockeyNHL(Taylour)
Barry Bonds1990baseballMLB (NL)
Barry Bonds1992baseballMLB (NL)
Barry Bonds1993baseballMLB (NL)
Barry Bonds2001baseballMLB (NL)
Barry Bonds2002baseballMLB (NL)
Barry Bonds2003baseballMLB (NL)
Barry Bonds2004baseballMLB (NL)
Barry Larkin1995baseballMLB (NL)
Barry Sanders1997footballNFL
Bart Starr1966footballNFL(Bryan, Bartlett)
Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion1961ice hockeyNHL(Joseph, Bernard)
Bert Jones1976footballNFL(Bertram)
Bill Cowley1941ice hockeyNHL(William)
Bill Cowley1943ice hockeyNHL(William)
Bill Russell1958basketballNBA(William, Felton)
Bill Russell1961basketballNBA(William, Felton)
Bill Russell1962basketballNBA(William, Felton)
Bill Russell1963basketballNBA(William, Felton)
Bill Russell1965basketballNBA(William, Felton)
Bill Walton1978basketballNBA(William)
Billy Burch1925ice hockeyNHL(Harry, Wilfred)
Bob Cousy1957basketballNBA(Robert)
Bob Elliott1947baseballMLB (NL)(Robert)
Bob Gibson1968baseballMLB (NL)(Robert)
Bob McAdoo1975basketballNBA(Robert)
Bob O'Farrell1926baseballMLB (NL)(Robert)
Bob Pettit1956basketballNBA(Robert)
Bob Pettit1959basketballNBA(Robert)
Bobby Clarke1973ice hockeyNHL(Robert)
Bobby Clarke1975ice hockeyNHL(Robert)
Bobby Clarke1976ice hockeyNHL(Robert)
Bobby Hull1965ice hockeyNHL(Robert)
Bobby Hull1966ice hockeyNHL(Robert)
Bobby Orr1970ice hockeyNHL(Robert)
Bobby Orr1971ice hockeyNHL(Robert)
Bobby Orr1972ice hockeyNHL(Robert)
Bobby Shantz1952baseballMLB (AL)(Robert)
Boog Powell1970baseballMLB (AL)(John, Wesley)
Brett Favre1995footballNFL
Brett Favre1996footballNFL
Brett Favre1997footballNFL
Brett Hull1991ice hockeyNHL
Brian Sipe1980footballNFL
Brooks Robinson1964baseballMLB (AL)
Bryan Trottier1979ice hockeyNHL
Bryce Harper2015baseballMLB (NL)
Bryce Harper2021baseballMLB (NL)
Bucky Walters1939baseballMLB (NL)(William, Henry)
Buster Posey2012baseballMLB (NL)(Gerald, Dempsey)
Cal Ripken Jr.1983baseballMLB (AL)(Calvin)
Cal Ripken Jr.1991baseballMLB (AL)(Calvin)
Cam Newton2015footballNFL(Cameron)
Carey Price2015ice hockeyNHL
Carl Hubbell1933baseballMLB (NL)
Carl Hubbell1936baseballMLB (NL)
Carl Yastrzemski1967baseballMLB (AL)
Charles Barkley1993basketballNBA(Wade)
Charles Arthur "Dazzy" Vance1924baseballMLB (NL)(Dazzy)
Charlie Gehringer1937baseballMLB (AL)(Charles)
Chipper Jones1999baseballMLB (NL)(Larry, Wayne)
Chris Pronger2000ice hockeyNHL(Christopher)
Christian Yelich2018baseballMLB (NL)
Chuck Klein1932baseballMLB (NL)(Charles)
Chuck Rayner1950ice hockeyNHL(Claude, Earl)
Clayton Kershaw2014baseballMLB (NL)
Cody Bellinger2019baseballMLB (NL)
Connor McDavid2017ice hockeyNHL
Connor McDavid2021ice hockeyNHL
Connor McDavid2023ice hockeyNHL
Corey Perry2011ice hockeyNHL
Dale Murphy1982baseballMLB (NL)
Dale Murphy1983baseballMLB (NL)
Dan Marino1984footballNFL(Daniel)
Dave Cowens1973basketballNBA(David)
Dave Parker1978baseballMLB (NL)(David)
David Robinson1995basketballNBA
Dennis Eckersley1992baseballMLB (AL)
Denny McLain1968baseballMLB (AL)(Dennis)
Derrick Rose2011basketballNBA
Dick Allen1972baseballMLB (AL)(Richard)
Dick Groat1960baseballMLB (NL)(Richard)
Dirk Nowitzki2007basketballNBA
Dolph Camilli1941baseballMLB (NL)(Adolph)
Dominik Hašek1997ice hockeyNHL
Dominik Hašek1998ice hockeyNHL
Don Baylor1979baseballMLB (AL)
Don Mattingly1985baseballMLB (AL)(Donald)
Don Newcombe1956baseballMLB (NL)(Donald)
Dustin Pedroia2008baseballMLB (AL)
Earl Campbell1979footballNFL
Earl Morrall1968footballNFL
Earvin "Magic" Johnson1987basketballNBA
Earvin "Magic" Johnson1989basketballNBA
Earvin "Magic" Johnson1990basketballNBA
Ebbie Goodfellow1940ice hockeyNHL(Ebenezer)
Eddie Shore1933ice hockeyNHL(Edward)
Eddie Shore1935ice hockeyNHL(Edward)
Eddie Shore1936ice hockeyNHL(Edward)
Eddie Shore1938ice hockeyNHL(Edward)
Elmer Lach1945ice hockeyNHL
Elston Howard1963baseballMLB (AL)
Emmitt Smith1993footballNFL
Eric Lindros1995ice hockeyNHL
Ernie Banks1958baseballMLB (NL)(Ernest)
Ernie Banks1959baseballMLB (NL)(Ernest)
Ernie Lombardi1938baseballMLB (NL)(Ernesto)
Evgeni Malkin2012ice hockeyNHL
Fran Tarkenton1975footballNFL(Francis)
Frank McCormick1940baseballMLB (NL)
Frank Nighbor1924ice hockeyNHL(Julius, Francis, Joseph)
Frank Robinson1961baseballMLB (NL)
Frank Robinson1966baseballMLB (AL)
Frank Thomas1993baseballMLB (AL)
Frank Thomas1994baseballMLB (AL)
Frankie Frisch1931baseballMLB (NL)(Frank, Francis)
Fred Lynn1975baseballMLB (AL)(Fredric)
Freddie Freeman2020baseballMLB (NL)(Frederick, Charles)
Gabby Hartnett1935baseballMLB (NL)(Charles, Leo)
George Bell1987baseballMLB (AL)
George Brett1980baseballMLB (AL)
George Burns1926baseballMLB (AL)
George Foster1977baseballMLB (NL)
George Herman "Babe" Ruth1923baseballMLB (AL)(Babe)
George Sisler1922baseballMLB (AL)
Giancarlo Stanton2017baseballMLB (NL)
Giannis Antetokounmpo2019basketballNBA
Giannis Antetokounmpo2020basketballNBA
Gordie Howe1952ice hockeyNHL(Gordon)
Gordie Howe1953ice hockeyNHL(Gordon)
Gordie Howe1957ice hockeyNHL(Gordon)
Gordie Howe1958ice hockeyNHL(Gordon)
Gordie Howe1960ice hockeyNHL(Gordon)
Gordie Howe1963ice hockeyNHL(Gordon)
Guy Lafleur1977ice hockeyNHL(Damien)
Guy Lafleur1978ice hockeyNHL(Damien)
Hakeem Olajuwon1994basketballNBA(Abdul)
Hal Newhouser1944baseballMLB (AL)(Harold)
Hal Newhouser1945baseballMLB (AL)(Harold)
Hank Aaron1957baseballMLB (NL)(Henry, Louis)
Hank Greenberg1935baseballMLB (AL)(Henry)
Hank Greenberg1940baseballMLB (AL)(Henry)
Hank Sauer1952baseballMLB (NL)(Henry)
Harmon Killebrew1969baseballMLB (AL)
Hector "Toe" Blake1939ice hockeyNHL
Henrik Sedin2010ice hockeyNHL(Lars)
Herb Gardiner1927ice hockeyNHL(Herbert)
Herbert "Buddy" O'Connor1948ice hockeyNHL(Buddy)
Howie Morenz1928ice hockeyNHL(Howard)
Howie Morenz1931ice hockeyNHL(Howard)
Howie Morenz1932ice hockeyNHL(Howard)
Ichiro Suzuki2001baseballMLB (AL)
Iván Rodríguez1999baseballMLB (AL)
Jackie Jensen1958baseballMLB (AL)(Jack)
Jackie Robinson1949baseballMLB (NL)(Jack, Roosevelt)
Jacques Plante1962ice hockeyNHL
James Harden2018basketballNBA(Edward)
Jaromír Jágr1999ice hockeyNHL
Jason Giambi2000baseballMLB (AL)
Jay Hanna "Dizzy" Dean1934baseballMLB (NL)(Dizzy)
Jean Béliveau1956ice hockeyNHL
Jean Béliveau1964ice hockeyNHL
Jeff Bagwell1994baseballMLB (NL)(Jeffrey)
Jeff Burroughs1974baseballMLB (AL)(Jeffrey)
Jeff Kent2000baseballMLB (NL)(Jeffrey)
Jim Bottomley1928baseballMLB (NL)(James)
Jim Brown1965footballNFL(James)
Jim Konstanty1950baseballMLB (NL)(Casimir, James)
Jim Rice1978baseballMLB (AL)(James)
Jim Taylor1962footballNFL(James)
Jimmie Foxx1932baseballMLB (AL)(James)
Jimmie Foxx1933baseballMLB (AL)(James)
Jimmie Foxx1938baseballMLB (AL)(James)
Jimmy Rollins2007baseballMLB (NL)(James)
Joe DiMaggio1939baseballMLB (AL)(Joseph)
Joe DiMaggio1941baseballMLB (AL)(Joseph)
Joe DiMaggio1947baseballMLB (AL)(Joseph)
Joe Gordon1942baseballMLB (AL)(Joseph)
Joe Mauer2009baseballMLB (AL)(Joseph)
Joe Medwick1937baseballMLB (NL)(Joseph)
Joe Montana1989footballNFL(Joseph)
Joe Montana1990footballNFL(Joseph)
Joe Morgan1975baseballMLB (NL)
Joe Morgan1976baseballMLB (NL)
Joe Sakic2001ice hockeyNHL(Joseph)
Joe Theismann1983footballNFL(Joseph)
Joe Thornton2006ice hockeyNHL(Joseph)
Joe Torre1971baseballMLB (NL)(Joseph)
Joel Embiid2023basketballNBA(Hans)
Joey Votto2010baseballMLB (NL)(Joseph)
John Brodie1970footballNFL
John Elway1987footballNFL
Johnny Bench1970baseballMLB (NL)(John)
Johnny Bench1972baseballMLB (NL)(John)
Johnny Unitas1964footballNFL(John, Constantine)
Johnny Unitas1967footballNFL(John, Constantine)
José Abreu2020baseballMLB (AL)
José Altuve2017baseballMLB (AL)
José Canseco1988baseballMLB (AL)
José Théodore2002ice hockeyNHL
Josh Donaldson2015baseballMLB (AL)(Joshua)
Josh Hamilton2010baseballMLB (AL)(Joshua)
Juan González1996baseballMLB (AL)
Juan González1998baseballMLB (AL)
Julius Erving1981basketballNBA
Justin Morneau2006baseballMLB (AL)
Justin Verlander2011baseballMLB (AL)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar1971basketballNBA(Ferdinand, Lewis)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar1972basketballNBA(Ferdinand, Lewis)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar1974basketballNBA(Ferdinand, Lewis)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar1976basketballNBA(Ferdinand, Lewis)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar1977basketballNBA(Ferdinand, Lewis)
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar1980basketballNBA(Ferdinand, Lewis)
Karl Malone1997basketballNBA
Karl Malone1999basketballNBA
Keith Hernandez1979baseballMLB (NL)
Ken Anderson1981footballNFL(Kenneth)
Ken Boyer1964baseballMLB (NL)(Kenton)
Ken Caminiti1996baseballMLB (NL)(Kenneth)
Ken Griffey Jr.1997baseballMLB (AL)(George, Kenneth)
Ken Stabler1974footballNFL(Kenneth)
Kevin Durant2014basketballNBA(Wayne)
Kevin Garnett2004basketballNBA
Kevin Mitchell1989baseballMLB (NL)
Kirk Gibson1988baseballMLB (NL)
Kobe Bryant2008basketballNBA(Bean)
Kris Bryant2016baseballMLB (NL)(Kristopher)
Kurt Warner1999footballNFL(Kurtis)
Kurt Warner2001footballNFL(Kurtis)
LaDainian Tomlinson2006footballNFL
Lamar Jackson2019footballNFL
Larry Bird1984basketballNBA(Joe)
Larry Bird1985basketballNBA(Joe)
Larry Bird1986basketballNBA(Joe)
Larry Brown1972footballNFL(Lawrence)
Larry Walker1997baseballMLB (NL)
Lawrence Taylor1986footballNFL
LeBron James2009basketballNBA(Raymone)
LeBron James2010basketballNBA(Raymone)
LeBron James2012basketballNBA(Raymone)
LeBron James2013basketballNBA(Raymone)
Leon Draisaitl2020ice hockeyNHL
Lou Boudreau1948baseballMLB (AL)(Louis)
Lou Gehrig1927baseballMLB (AL)(Henry, Louis)
Lou Gehrig1936baseballMLB (AL)(Henry, Louis)
Marcus Allen1985footballNFL
Mario Lemieux1988ice hockeyNHL
Mario Lemieux1993ice hockeyNHL
Mario Lemieux1996ice hockeyNHL
Mark Messier1990ice hockeyNHL
Mark Messier1992ice hockeyNHL
Mark Moseley1982footballNFL
Markus Lynn "Mookie" Betts2018baseballMLB (AL)
Marshall Faulk2000footballNFL
Martin St. Louis2004ice hockeyNHL
Marty Marion1944baseballMLB (NL)(Martin)
Matt Ryan2016footballNFL(Matthew)
Maurice "Rocket" Richard1947ice hockeyNHL
Maury Wills1962baseballMLB (NL)(Maurice)
Max Bentley1946ice hockeyNHL(Maxwell)
Michael Jordan1988basketballNBA(Jeffrey)
Michael Jordan1991basketballNBA(Jeffrey)
Michael Jordan1992basketballNBA(Jeffrey)
Michael Jordan1996basketballNBA(Jeffrey)
Michael Jordan1998basketballNBA(Jeffrey)
Mickey Cochrane1928baseballMLB (AL)(Gordon, Stanley)
Mickey Cochrane1934baseballMLB (AL)(Gordon, Stanley)
Mickey Mantle1956baseballMLB (AL)(Charles)
Mickey Mantle1957baseballMLB (AL)(Charles)
Mickey Mantle1962baseballMLB (AL)(Charles)
Miguel Cabrera2012baseballMLB (AL)
Miguel Cabrera2013baseballMLB (AL)
Miguel Tejada2002baseballMLB (AL)
Mike Schmidt1980baseballMLB (NL)(Michael)
Mike Schmidt1981baseballMLB (NL)(Michael)
Mike Schmidt1986baseballMLB (NL)(Michael)
Mike Trout2014baseballMLB (AL)(Michael)
Mike Trout2016baseballMLB (AL)(Michael)
Mike Trout2019baseballMLB (AL)(Michael)
Milt Schmidt1951ice hockeyNHL(Milton)
Mo Vaughn1995baseballMLB (AL)(Maurice)
Mort Cooper1942baseballMLB (NL)(Morton)
Moses Malone1979basketballNBA
Moses Malone1982basketballNBA
Moses Malone1983basketballNBA
Nellie Fox1959baseballMLB (AL)(Jacob, Nelson)
Nels Stewart1926ice hockeyNHL(Robert, Nelson)
Nels Stewart1930ice hockeyNHL(Robert, Nelson)
Nikita Kucherov2019ice hockeyNHL
Nikola Jokić2021basketballNBA
Nikola Jokić2022basketballNBA
Norman Julius "Boomer" Esiason1988footballNFL
O. J. Simpson1973footballNFL(Orenthal, James)
Orlando Cepeda1967baseballMLB (NL)
Oscar Robertson1964basketballNBA(Palmer)
Patrick Kane2016ice hockeyNHL
Patrick Mahomes2018footballNFL
Patrick Mahomes2022footballNFL
Paul Goldschmidt2022baseballMLB (NL)(Edward)
Paul Hornung1961footballNFL
Paul Waner1927baseballMLB (NL)
Pete Rose1973baseballMLB (NL)(Peter)
Peter Forsberg2003ice hockeyNHL
Peyton Manning2003footballNFL(Williams)
Peyton Manning2004footballNFL(Williams)
Peyton Manning2008footballNFL(Williams)
Peyton Manning2009footballNFL(Williams)
Peyton Manning2013footballNFL(Williams)
Phil Cavarretta1945baseballMLB (NL)(Philip)
Phil Esposito1969ice hockeyNHL(Philip)
Phil Esposito1974ice hockeyNHL(Philip)
Phil Rizzuto1950baseballMLB (AL)(Philip)
Reggie Jackson1973baseballMLB (AL)(Reginald)
Rich Gannon2002footballNFL(Richard)
Rickey Henderson1990baseballMLB (AL)
Robert Moses "Lefty" Grove1931baseballMLB (AL)
Roberto Clemente1966baseballMLB (NL)
Robin Yount1982baseballMLB (AL)
Robin Yount1989baseballMLB (AL)
Rod Carew1977baseballMLB (AL)(Rodney)
Roger Clemens1986baseballMLB (AL)
Roger Maris1960baseballMLB (AL)
Roger Maris1961baseballMLB (AL)
Roger Peckinpaugh1925baseballMLB (AL)
Rogers Hornsby1925baseballMLB (NL)
Rogers Hornsby1929baseballMLB (NL)
Rollie Fingers1981baseballMLB (AL)(Roland)
Roman Gabriel1969footballNFL
Roy Campanella1951baseballMLB (NL)
Roy Campanella1953baseballMLB (NL)
Roy Campanella1955baseballMLB (NL)
Roy Worters1929ice hockeyNHL
Russell Westbrook2017basketballNBA
Ryan Braun2011baseballMLB (NL)
Ryan Howard2006baseballMLB (NL)
Ryne Sandberg1984baseballMLB (NL)
Sammy Sosa1998baseballMLB (NL)(Samuel)
Sandy Koufax1963baseballMLB (NL)(Sanford)
Sergei Fedorov1994ice hockeyNHL
Shaquille O'Neal2000basketballNBA(Rashaun)
Shaun Alexander2005footballNFL
Shohei Ohtani2021baseballMLB (AL)
Sid Abel1949ice hockeyNHL(Sidney)
Sidney Crosby2007ice hockeyNHL(Patrick)
Sidney Crosby2014ice hockeyNHL(Patrick)
Spurgeon "Spud" Chandler1943baseballMLB (AL)
Stan Mikita1967ice hockeyNHL(Stanislav)
Stan Mikita1968ice hockeyNHL(Stanislav)
Stan Musial1943baseballMLB (NL)(Stanley)
Stan Musial1946baseballMLB (NL)(Stanley)
Stan Musial1948baseballMLB (NL)(Stanley)
Stephen Curry2015basketballNBA
Stephen Curry2016basketballNBA
Steve Garvey1974baseballMLB (NL)(Steven)
Steve McNair2003footballNFL(Stephen)
Steve Nash2005basketballNBA(Stephen)
Steve Nash2006basketballNBA(Stephen)
Steve Young1992footballNFL(Jon, Steven)
Steve Young1994footballNFL(Jon, Steven)
Taylor Hall2018ice hockeyNHL
Ted Kennedy1955ice hockeyNHL(Teeder, Theodore)
Ted Williams1946baseballMLB (AL)(Theodore)
Ted Williams1949baseballMLB (AL)(Theodore)
Terrell Davis1998footballNFL
Terry Bradshaw1978footballNFL
Terry Pendleton1991baseballMLB (NL)
Thurman Munson1976baseballMLB (AL)
Thurman Thomas1991footballNFL
Tim Duncan2002basketballNBA(Timothy)
Tim Duncan2003basketballNBA(Timothy)
Tom Brady2007footballNFL(Thomas, Edward, Patrick)
Tom Brady2010footballNFL(Thomas, Edward, Patrick)
Tom Brady2017footballNFL(Thomas, Edward, Patrick)
Tommy Anderson1942ice hockeyNHL
Vida Blue1971baseballMLB (AL)
Vladimir Guerrero2004baseballMLB (AL)
Walter Johnson1924baseballMLB (AL)
Walter Payton1977footballNFL
Walter "Babe" Pratt1944ice hockeyNHL(Babe)
Wayne Gretzky1980ice hockeyNHL(Douglas)
Wayne Gretzky1981ice hockeyNHL(Douglas)
Wayne Gretzky1982ice hockeyNHL(Douglas)
Wayne Gretzky1983ice hockeyNHL(Douglas)
Wayne Gretzky1984ice hockeyNHL(Douglas)
Wayne Gretzky1985ice hockeyNHL(Douglas)
Wayne Gretzky1986ice hockeyNHL(Douglas)
Wayne Gretzky1987ice hockeyNHL(Douglas)
Wayne Gretzky1989ice hockeyNHL(Douglas)
Wes Unseld1969basketballNBA(Westley)
Willie Hernández1984baseballMLB (AL)(Guillermo)
Willie Mays1954baseballMLB (NL)(Howard)
Willie Mays1965baseballMLB (NL)(Howard)
Willie McCovey1969baseballMLB (NL)
Willie McGee1985baseballMLB (NL)
Willie Stargell1979baseballMLB (NL)(Wilver, Dornell)
Willis Reed1970basketballNBA
Wilt "the Stilt" Chamberlain1960basketballNBA(Wilton, Norman)
Wilt "the Stilt" Chamberlain1966basketballNBA(Wilton, Norman)
Wilt "the Stilt" Chamberlain1967basketballNBA(Wilton, Norman)
Wilt "the Stilt" Chamberlain1968basketballNBA(Wilton, Norman)
Y. A. Tittle1963footballNFL(Yelberton, Albert)
Yogi Berra1951baseballMLB (AL)(Lawrence, Peter)
Yogi Berra1954baseballMLB (AL)(Lawrence, Peter)
Yogi Berra1955baseballMLB (AL)(Lawrence, Peter)
Zoilo Versalles1965baseballMLB (AL)