Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award


The Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award is given by the Associated Press to the most outstanding defensive player in the National Football League at the end of every season. It has been awarded since 1971. The winner is decided by votes from a panel of 50 AP sportswriters who regularly cover the NFL. Since 2011, the award has been presented at the annual NFL Honors ceremony the day before the Super Bowl, along with other AP awards, such as the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award, AP NFL Most Valuable Player Award, and AP NFL Rookie of the Year Award.
Lawrence Taylor and J. J. Watt are the only three-time winners of the award. Joe Greene, Mike Singletary, Bruce Smith, Reggie White, Ray Lewis, and Aaron Donald have each won it twice. Taylor is the only player to win the award as a rookie, doing so in 1981. In 2008, James Harrison became the only undrafted free agent to win the award. White is the only player to win the award with two different teams, winning in 1987 with the Philadelphia Eagles and again with the Green Bay Packers in 1998. Watt is the only player to win the award unanimously, receiving 50 out of 50 first place votes in 2014. He was also a near-unanimous winner in 2012 as he earned 49 out of 50 votes.
As of the end of the 2019 NFL season, linebackers have won the award 16 times, more than any other position. A defensive end has won thirteen times, followed by nine defensive tackles, six cornerbacks, and five safeties. Only two winners of the AP Defensive Player of the Year Award have also won the AP's Most Valuable Player Award for the same season: defensive tackle Alan Page in 1971 for the Minnesota Vikings and linebacker Lawrence Taylor in 1986 for the New York Giants. Stephon Gilmore is the incumbent holder of the award, winning it for the 2019 NFL season.

Winners

SeasonPlayerPositionTeamRef
1971Defensive tackleMinnesota Vikings
1972Defensive tacklePittsburgh Steelers
1973SafetyMiami Dolphins
1974 Defensive tacklePittsburgh Steelers
1975CornerbackPittsburgh Steelers
1976LinebackerPittsburgh Steelers
1977Defensive endDallas Cowboys
1978LinebackerDenver Broncos
1979Defensive endTampa Bay Buccaneers
1980CornerbackOakland Raiders
1981LinebackerNew York Giants
1982 LinebackerNew York Giants
1983Defensive endMiami Dolphins
1984SafetySeattle Seahawks
1985LinebackerChicago Bears
1986 LinebackerNew York Giants
1987Defensive endPhiladelphia Eagles
1988 LinebackerChicago Bears
1989Defensive tackleMinnesota Vikings
1990Defensive endBuffalo Bills
1991LinebackerNew Orleans Saints
1992Defensive tackleSeattle Seahawks
1993CornerbackPittsburgh Steelers
1994CornerbackSan Francisco 49ers
1995LinebackerBuffalo Bills
1996 Defensive endBuffalo Bills
1997Defensive tackleSan Francisco 49ers
1998 Defensive endGreen Bay Packers
1999Defensive tackleTampa Bay Buccaneers
2000LinebackerBaltimore Ravens
2001Defensive endNew York Giants
2002LinebackerTampa Bay Buccaneers
2003 LinebackerBaltimore Ravens
2004SafetyBaltimore Ravens
2005LinebackerChicago Bears
2006Defensive endMiami Dolphins
2007SafetyIndianapolis Colts
2008LinebackerPittsburgh Steelers
2009CornerbackGreen Bay Packers
2010SafetyPittsburgh Steelers
2011LinebackerBaltimore Ravens
2012Defensive endHouston Texans
2013LinebackerCarolina Panthers
2014 Defensive endHouston Texans
2015 Defensive endHouston Texans
2016Defensive endOakland Raiders
2017Defensive tackleLos Angeles Rams
2018 Defensive tackleLos Angeles Rams
2019CornerbackNew England Patriots