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The NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) award is among the highest honors in professional football, recognizing the league’s best player each season. While many players earn this accolade after years of experience, some achieve it at a remarkably young age. While the modern MVP has largely transformed into a quarterback award, with the last non-QB MVP coming in 2012, the award used to be spread around to multiple positions, notably running backs.
Here are the top five youngest NFL MVPs of all time (3 QB, 2 RB), with a look at their careers and the signature performances that cemented their status as MVPs in their respective seasons.
Jim Brown, the legendary Cleveland Browns running back, is still the youngest player and only NFL rookie to ever win the MVP award. Winning the MVP award in back-to-back seasons at 22 years old, Brown could be listed here twice, but for the sake of variance, we will talk about four other players following Brown. At 21 years old, Brown’s rookie season was nothing short of spectacular. He led the league with 942 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, setting the stage for one of the most dominant careers in NFL history.
In a game against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 7, Brown rushed for 237 yards and scored four touchdowns, leading Cleveland to a 45-31 victory.
Lamar Jackson became the youngest quarterback to win the NFL MVP award at the ripe age of 22 during the 2019 season. The Baltimore Ravens’ quarterback electrified the league with his dual-threat capabilities, leading the Ravens to a 14-2 record. Jackson threw for 3,127 yards and an impressive 36 touchdowns, while also rushing for 1,206 yards and seven touchdowns, setting a new single-season rushing record for quarterbacks.
Jackson’s MVP moment came in a Week 12 game against the Los Angeles Rams, where he threw for five touchdown passes and racked up 169 passing yards in a dismantling 45-6 victory.
Patrick Mahomes won the MVP award in 2018 at the age of 23, just a year older than Jackson. In his first season as the starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, Mahomes took the league by storm with his arm strength and playmaking ability. He finished the season with 5,097 passing yards and 50 touchdown passes, becoming only the second player in NFL history to reach 50 touchdown passes in a single season.
One of Mahomes’ standout performances came in Week 11 against the Los Angeles Rams, a game that is often cited as one of the greatest in NFL history. Despite the Chiefs’ 54-51 loss, Mahomes threw for 478 yards and six touchdowns, showcasing that his college shootout days at Texas Tech were no fluke when the QB needed to keep up in high-scoring affairs.
Dan Marino, one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, won the MVP award in 1984 at the age of 23. In just his second season with the Miami Dolphins, Marino set single-season records with 5,084 passing yards and 48 touchdown passes – records that stood for decades. His quick release and precision passing changed the quarterback position forever.
Marino’s defining game that season was in Week 13 against the Dallas Cowboys. He threw for 470 yards and four touchdowns in a 28-21 victory.
Walter Payton, one of the most iconic running backs in NFL history, won the MVP award in 1977 at the age of 23. Playing for the Chicago Bears, Payton dazzled fans and opponents alike with his versatility, strength and relentless running style. He finished the season with 1,852 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, leading the league in both categories.
Payton’s standout game came in Week 10 against the Minnesota Vikings, where he set a then-NFL record by rushing for 275 yards and scoring a touchdown in a 10-7 victory.
Zach has been a published sports writer since 2018 specializing in college football & basketball, MLB and NFL content for multiple publications.