Youngest NFL MVP Winners in League History

A look at the youngest players in history to win the NFL's MVP award.

Drake Maye is putting together an MVP-caliber season. / Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Drake Maye is lighting up the NFL in just his second season.

Heading into Week 18, the Patriots quarterback leads the league in completion percentage (71.7%), passer rating (112.9), QBR (76.5), and yards per attempt (8.9), all while also notching top-five numbers in passing yards (4,203) and touchdown passes (30).

And he’s doing all of this at just 23 years old.

Following Monday night’s dud from the Rams—one that saw Matthew Stafford throw three interceptions in a loss to the Falcons—Maye is now the odds-on favorite to win the NFL’s MVP award with just one game remaining in the regular season. Should he complete the feat, the 23-year-old would become one of the youngest players in league history to earn the honor.

On the topic, here’s a look at the 20 youngest players to ever win the NFL’s MVP award:

SI BTN Newsletter. Start off your day with SI:CYMI. dark. FREE NEWSLETTER

Youngest Players to Win MVP in NFL History

Patrick Mahomes won his first NFL MVP at age 23. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Player	Age	Team, Season
RB Jim Brown	21	Cleveland Browns, 1957
QB Lamar Jackson	22	Baltimore Ravens, 2019
RB Jim Brown	22	Cleveland Browns, 1958
QB Patrick Mahomes	23	Kansas City Chiefs, 2018
QB Dan Marino	23	Miami Dolphins, 1984
RB Walter Payton	23	Chicago Bears, 1977
RB Emmitt Smith	24	Dallas Cowboys, 1993
RB Earl Campbell	24	Houston Oilers, 1979
RB Thurman Thomas	25	Buffalo Bills, 1991
RB Marcus Allen	25	Los Angeles Raiders, 1985
QB Bert Jones	25	Baltimore Colts, 1976
RB Larry Brown	25	Washington, 1972
QB Lamar Jackson	26	Baltimore Ravens, 2023
QB Cam Newton	26	Carolina Panthers, 2015
RB Terrell Davis	26	Denver Broncos, 1998
QB Brett Favre	26	Green Bay Packers, 1995
RB O.J. Simpson	26	Buffalo Bills, 1973
DT Alan Page	26	Minnesota Vikings, 1971
RB/K Paul Hornung	26	Green Bay Packers, 1961
QB Johnny Unitas	26	Baltimore Colts, 1959

Should Maye ultimately win the award, he’d rank among the seven youngest players ever to do so—and also become just the fourth quarterback to be named league MVP at age 23 or younger, joining Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, and Dan Marino.

Pretty good company.

---

More NFL on Sports Illustrated

feed