First awarded 1993 | Category of ESPY Award | |
People also search for Best Male Golfer ESPY Award Winners & Nominees Cam Newton, Cam Newton, Winner, Tom Brady, Tom Brady, Nominee, J J Watt, J J Watt, Nominee, Julio Jones, Julio Jones, Nominee, Antonio Brown, Antonio Brown, Nominee, Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Rodgers, Winner, Tom Brady, Tom Brady, Nominee, J J Watt, J J Watt, Nominee, DeMarco Murray, DeMarco Murray, Nominee, Antonio Brown, Antonio Brown, Nominee, Peyton Manning, Peyton Manning, Winner, Jamaal Charles, Jamaal Charles, Nominee, Russell Wilson, Russell Wilson, Nominee, LeSean McCoy, LeSean McCoy, Nominee, Luke Kuechly, Luke Kuechly, Nominee, Adrian Peterson, Adrian Peterson, Winner, Peyton Manning, Peyton Manning, Nominee, J J Watt, J J Watt, Nominee, Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Rodgers, Nominee, Calvin Johnson, Calvin Johnson, Nominee, Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Rodgers, Winner, Terrell Suggs, Terrell Suggs, Nominee, Rob Gronkowski, Rob Gronkowski, Nominee, Drew Brees, Drew Brees, Nominee, Calvin Johnson, Calvin Johnson, Nominee | ||
The Best NFL Player ESPY Award has been presented annually since 1993 to the National Football League player adjudged to be the best in a given calendar year, namely in the NFL season immediately precedent to the holding of the ESPY Awards ceremony.
Between 1993 and 2004, the award voting panel comprised variously fans; sportswriters and broadcasters, sports executives, and retired sportspersons, termed collectively experts; but balloting thereafter has been exclusively by fans over the Internet from amongst choices selected by the ESPN Select Nominating Committee.
Through the 2001 iteration of the ESPY Awards, ceremonies were conducted in February of each year to honor achievements over the previous calendar year; awards presented thereafter are conferred in June and reflect performance from the June previous.
In 2014, Peyton Manning of the Denver Broncos became the first 3-time winner breaking a tie with (Barry Sanders, Brett Favre, Marshall Faulk & Aaron Rodgers).
Winners
Six players—quarterbacks Brett Favre, Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers and running backs Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders, and Marshall Faulk—have won the award twice; each save Sanders was a back-to-back honoree.