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