National Football League Defensive Player of the Year Award

The NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award is given by the Associated Press to the league's most outstanding defensive player at the end of every NFL season since 1971.

Two members of the Green Bay Packers have been honored with the award. In 1998, defensive end Reggie White won the award for a second time in his final season with the team. The most recent winner is cornerback Charles Woodson, who had nine interceptions and three touchdown runbacks for the Packers to take the 2009 honor.

Multiple-award winners include Lawrence Taylor, J.J. Watt, and Aaron Donald who won it three times each, and Joe Greene, Mike Singletary, Bruce Smith, Reggie White, and Ray Lewis who each won it twice. Lawrence Taylor is the only player to win the award as a rookie (1981).

Winners

NFL Defensive Player of the Year winners • Presented by the Associated Press •

Year No. Player of the Year Pos Team G Tkl Sck Int Yds TD FF FR Yds 1971 1971 88  Alan Page 22  DT min  Minnesota Vikings 14 14 -- -- 00  0 000  0 00  0 -- 03  3 008  8 1972 1972 75  Joe Greene 22  DT pit  Pittsburgh Steelers 14 14 -- -- 00  0 000  0 00  0 -- 01  1 000  0 1973 1973 40  Dick Anderson 29  S mia  Miami Dolphins 14 14 -- -- 08  8 163 163 02  2 -- 00  0 000  0 1974 1974 75  Joe Greene 22  DT pit  Pittsburgh Steelers 14 14 -- -- 01  1 026 26 00  0 -- 04  4 007  7 1975 1975 47  Mel Blount 27  CB pit  Pittsburgh Steelers 14 14 -- -- 11  11 121 121 00  0 -- 00  0 000  0 1976 1976 58  Jack Lambert 25  MLB pit  Pittsburgh Steelers 14 14 -- -- 02  2 032 32 00  0 -- 08  8 036 36 1977 1977 79  Harvey Martin 20  DE dal  Dallas Cowboys 14 14 -- -- 00  0 000 0 00  0 -- 02  2 007 7 1978 1978 53  Randy Gradishar 26  OLB den  Denver Broncos 14 14 -- -- 04  4 019 19 00  0 -- 02  2 030 30 1979 1979 63  Lee Roy Selmon 20  DE tam  Tampa Bay Buccaneers 16 16 -- -- 00  0 000 0 00  0 -- 02  2 029 29 1980 1980 37  Lester Hayes 27  CB oak  Oakland Raiders 16 16 -- -- 13 13 273 273 01  1 -- 02  2 000 0 1981 1981 56  Lawrence Taylor 26  OLB nyg  New York Giants 16 16 -- -- 01 1 001 1 00  0 -- 01  1 004 4 1982 1982 56  Lawrence Taylor 26  OLB nyg  New York Giants 09 9 -- 075 7.5 01 1 097 97 01  1 -- 00  0 000 0 1983 1983 75  Doug Betters 20  DE mia  Miami Dolphins 16 16 -- 160 16.0 00  0 000 0 00  0 -- 04  4 000  0 1984 1984 45  Kenny Easley 29  S sea  Seattle Seahawks 16 16 -- 000 0.0 10 10 126 126 02  2 -- 01  1 000 0 1985 1985 50  Mike Singletary 25  MLB chi  Chicago Bears 16 16 -- 030 3.0 01 1 023 23 00  0 -- 03  3 011 11 1986 1986 56  Lawrence Taylor 26  OLB nyg  New York Giants 16 16 -- 205 20.5 00 0 000 0 00  0 -- 00  0 000 0 1987 1987 92  Reggie White 20  DE phi  Philadelphia Eagles 12 12 076 76 210 21.0 00 0 000 0 00  0 04  4 01  1 070 70 1988 1988 50  Mike Singletary 25  MLB chi  Chicago Bears 16 16 -- 010 1.0 01 1 013 13 00  0 -- 01  1 004 4 1989 1989 75  Keith Millard 22  DT min  Minnesota Vikings 16 16 -- 180 18.0 01  1 048 48 00  0 00  0 01  1 031 31 1990 1990 78  Bruce Smith 20  DE buf  Buffalo Bills 16 16 101 101 190 19.0 00  0 000 0 00  0 04  4 00  0 000 0 1991 1991 56  Pat Swilling 26  OLB neo  New Orleans Saints 16 16 060 60 170 17.0 01  1 039 39 01  1 06  6 01  1 005 5 1992 1992 96  Cortez Kennedy 22  DT sea  Seattle Seahawks 16 16 092 92 140 14.0 00  0 000 0 00  0 04  4 01  1 019 19 1993 1993 26  Rod Woodson 27  CB pit  Pittsburgh Steelers 16 16 095 95 020 2.0 08  8 138 138 01  1 02  2 01  1 000 0 1994 1994 21  Deion Sanders 27  CB saf  San Francisco 49ers 14 14 034 34 000 0.0 06  6 303 303 03  3 00  0 01  1 000 0 1995 1995 95  Bryce Paup 26  OLB buf  Buffalo Bills 15 15 070 70 175 17.5 02  2 000 0 00  0 03  3 01  1 000 0 1996 1996 78  Bruce Smith 20  DE buf  Buffalo Bills 16 16 069 69 135 13.5 00  0 000 0 00  0 05  5 01  1 000 0 1997 1997 94  Dana Stubblefield 22  DT saf  San Francisco 49ers 16 16 048 48 150 15.0 00  0 000 0 00  0 03  3 00  0 000 0 1998 1998 92  Reggie White 20  DE gb  Green Bay Packers 16 16 033 33 160 16.0 00  0 000 0 00 0 00 4 00 0 00 0 1999 1999 99  Warren Sapp 22  DT tam  Tampa Bay Buccaneers 15 15 027 27 125 12.5 00  0 000 0 00  0 04  4 02  2 000 0 2000 2000 52  Ray Lewis 25  MLB bal  Baltimore Ravens 16 16 107 107 030 3.0 02  2 001 1 00  0 00  0 03  3 000 0 2001 2001 92  Michael Strahan 20  DE nyg  New York Giants 16 16 062 62 225 22.5 00  0 000 0 00  0 06  6 01  1 013 13 2002 2002 55  Derrick Brooks 26  OLB tam  Tampa Bay Buccaneers 16 16 088 88 010 1.0 05  5 218 218 03  3 01  1 01  1 011 11 2003 2003 52  Ray Lewis 25  MLB bal  Baltimore Ravens 16 16 121 121 015 1.5 06  6 099 99 01  1 02  2 02  2 001 1 2004 2004 20  Ed Reed 29  S bal  Baltimore Ravens 16 16 064 64 020 2.0 09  9 358 358 01  1 03  3 02  2 044 44 2005 2005 54  Brian Urlacher 25  MLB chi  Chicago Bears 16 16 098 98 060 6.0 00  0 000 0 00  0 01  1 01  1 000 0 2006 2006 99  Jason Taylor 20  DE mia  Miami Dolphins 16 16 041 41 135 13.5 02  2 071 71 02  2 09  9 02  2 033 33 2007 2007 21  Bob Sanders 29  S ind  Indianapolis Colts 15 15 071 71 035 3.5 02  2 032 32 00  0 00  0 01  1 025 25 2008 2008 92  James Harrison 26  OLB pit  Pittsburgh Steelers 15 15 059 59 160 16.0 01  1 033 33 00  0 07  7 00  0 000 0 2009 2009 21  Charles Woodson 27  CB gb  Green Bay Packers 16 16 065 65 020 2.0 09  9 179 179 03 3 04 4 00 0 00 0 2010 2010 43  Troy Polamalu 29  S pit  Pittsburgh Steelers 14 14 049 49 010 1.0 07  7 101 101 01  1 01  1 01  1 000 0 2011 2011 55  Terrell Suggs 26  OLB bal  Baltimore Ravens 16 16 070 70 140 14.0 02  2 009 9 00  0 07  7 00  0 000 0 2012 2012 99  J.J. Watt 27  DE hou  Houston Texans 16 16 081 81 205 20.5 0  0 000 0 00  0 04  4 02  2 007 7 2013 2013 59  Luke Kuechly 25  MLB car  Carolina Panthers 16 16 156 156 020 2.0 4  4 033 33 00  0 00  0 00  0 000 0 2014 2014 99  J.J. Watt 27  DE hou  Houston Texans 16 16 078 78 205 20.5 1  1 080 80 01  1 04  4 05  5 059 59 2015 2015 99  J.J. Watt 27  DE hou  Houston Texans 16 16 076 76 175 17.5 0  0 000 0 00  0 03  3 01  1 000 0 2016 2016 52  Khalil Mack 27  DE oak  Oakland Raiders 16 16 073 73 110 11.0 01  1 006 6 01  1 05  5 03  3 001 1 2017 2017 99  Aaron Donald 22  DT lar  Los Angeles Rams 14 14 041 41 110 11.0 00  0 000 0 00  0 05  5 01  1 000 0 2018 2018 99  Aaron Donald 22  DT lar  Los Angeles Rams 16 16 059 59 205 20.5 00  0 000 0 00  0 04  4 02  2 000 0

Comparison

By player

Multiple-award winners include Lawrence Taylor, J.J. Watt, and Aaron Donald who won it three times each, and Joe Greene, Mike Singletary, Bruce Smith, Reggie White, and Ray Lewis, who each won it twice. Lawrence Taylor is the only player to win the award as a rookie (1981).

National Football League Defensive Player of the Year Award winners • Multiple winners by player •

Tier No. Player of the Year Pos Team Seasons Awards 1st Lawrence Taylor OLB New York Giants 1981 • 1982 • 1986 3 J.J. Watt DE Houston Texans 2012 • 2014 • 2015 Aaron Donald DT Los Angeles Rams 2017 • 2018 • 2020 2nd Joe Greene DT Pittsburgh Steelers 1972 • 1974 2 Mike Singletary MLB Chicago Bears 1985 • 1988 Bruce Smith DE Buffalo Bills 1990 • 1995 Reggie White DE Philadelphia Eagles Green Bay Packers 1987 • 1998 Ray Lewis MLB Baltimore Ravens 2000 • 2003

See also

• National Football League Most Valuable Player Award
• National Football League Offensive Player of the Year Award

References

• List of AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award winners
• Jersey Database - NFL Defensive Player of the Year jerseys
• Chris Creamer's Sportslogo.net - Team logos