American Football League Most Valuable Players
Encyclopedia
During its ten-year existence (1960 - 1969), the American Football League
's best player for each year was called the Most Valuable Player by some sports-news sources and the Player of the Year by others. The awards by the major services are shown below.
, Running Back, Dallas Texans
(IU
, AP
)
In the league’s first year, Haynes led the AFL in rushing attempts, yards, and touchdowns. Haynes helped launch the AFL as the fledgling league's first Most Valuable Player, and its first Rookie of the Year
. He captured the AFL's first rushing crown with 875 yards, and also led the Texans in receiving, punt returns, and kickoff returns.
, quarterback, Houston Oilers (UPI, AP
, TSN
)
Blanda completed 187 of 362 passes for 3,330 yards and 36 touchdowns, for 216 points. He added another 112 points on conversions (64 of 65) and field goals (16 of 26). In the Oilers' 10-6 victory over the San Diego Chargers in the American Football League Championship game, Blanda had a hand in all the Oilers' scoring, throwing a 25-yard pass to Billy Cannon, and kicking the extra point and a 46-yard field goal.
, fullback, Buffalo Bills
(UPI, AP
)
Carlton Chester "Cookie" Gilchrist came from the Canadian Football League and took American pro football by storm. In his first year in the league, he became its first thousand-yard rusher, gaining (in a 14-game season) 1,096 yards on 246 carries for a 5.1 yards-per-carry average and 13 touchdowns, an all-time league record. He also caught 24 passes for 319 yards and two touchdowns, and kicked 14 extra points and seven field goals, the longest a 42-yarder.
LEN DAWSON
, quarterback, Dallas Texans
(TSN
)
Len Dawson completed 61% (189 of 310) of his passes for 2,759 yards and 29 touchdowns, while rushing 38 times for 252 yards and three touchdowns. He led the Texans to an 11-3 regular season, and a 23-20 victory in the classic double-overtime American Football League Championship game against the Houston Oilers.
, flanker, San Diego Chargers
(UPI)
Lance Alworth played in only four games in his rookie year of 1962, but in 1963, he played the full 14-game schedule and showed the talent that would make him pro football's best receiver. He caught 61 passes for 1,205 yards, a 19.8 yard-per-catch average, for 11 touchdowns, and helped the San Diego Chargers to an 11-3 record and a 51-10 victory over the Boston Patriots in the championship game.
TOBIN ROTE
, quarterback, San Diego Chargers
(AP
)
Tobin Rote threw for 2,510 yards in 1963, on 170 completions out of 286 attempts, for 17 touchdowns, and he ran for two scores. In the American Football League Championship game, he scored a rushing touchdown and passed for three more as he led the San Diego Chargers to a 51-10 defeat of the Boston Patriots, thus becoming the only quarterback to win championships in both the NFL and the AFL.
CLEM DANIELS
, halfback, Oakland Raiders
(TSN
)
Clem Daniels had phenomenal rushing and pass-receiving averages in 1963: 5.1 yards per carry and 22.8 yards per reception. He gained 1,099 yards on 215 carries with two rushing touchdowns, and piled up 685 yards on 30 receptions, with five receiving touchdowns.
, flanker/placekicker, Boston Patriots (UPI, AP
, TSN
)
Gino Cappelletti was not a fast receiver, but a wily one who caught 49 passes for 865 yards and 7 touchdowns for the Boston Patriots in 1964. He was also their kicker, making 35 of 36 extra point attempts and 22 of 38 field goal tries for a total of 155 points, which would be the highest single season total in the league's ten-year existence.
, halfback, San Diego Chargers
(UPI, TSN
)
Paul Lowe was the first American Football League player to gain more than 1,000 yards rushing in two different seasons, with 1,010 in 1963 and 1,121 in his MVP year of 1965. He carried 222 times for a 5 yards-per-carry average and scored 6 touchdowns rushing and one receiving.
JACK KEMP
, quarterback, Buffalo Bills
(AP
)
After leading the Buffalo Bills to their first American Football League Championship the previous year, Jack Kemp continued his stellar play in 1965, passing for 2,368 yards and 10 touchdowns, and rushing for 4 more scores. In the Championship game, he quickly put the Bills ahead on an 18-yard scoring strike to tight end Ernie Warlick, and they went on to defeat Kemp's former team, the Chargers, for the second straight year, 23-0.
, fullback, Boston Patriots (UPI, AP
, TSN
)
Jim Nance, at 6'-1" and 243 pounds was a classic fullback who, in 1966 with the Boston Patriots, rushed for what would go down as the highest total in the history of the American Football League: 1,458 yards on 299 carries for 11 touchdowns.
, quarterback, Oakland Raiders
(UPI, AP
, TSN
)
Daryle Lamonica, the 'Mad Bomber', passed for over 3,000 yards, with 3,228 yards off 220 completions on 425 attempts, for 30 touchdowns, running for another four. He had 2 touchdown passes and ran for another in the Oakland Raiders 40-7 victory over the Houston Oilers in the American Football League Championship game.
, quarterback, New York Jets
(UPI, AP
, TSN
)
The year after he passed for an AFL record 4,007 yards, Joe Namath was the 1968 American Football League MVP, as he completed 187 of 380 passes for 3,147 yards and 15 touchdowns, also scoring two rushing touchdowns. Three passes for touchdowns in the 1968 AFL Championship game helped defeat the Oakland Raiders, 27-23, and the Jets went on to defeat the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.
DARYLE LAMONICA
, quarterback, Oakland Raiders
(UPI, TSN
)
Lamonica had his third straight 3,000-yard season, passing for 3,302, with 34 touchdowns, and he ran for one score. In the AFL Interdivision Playoff Game, coming off three days in the hospital for back problems, he threw for 4 touchdowns in the Raiders 56-7 defeat of the Houston Oilers.
JOE NAMATH
, quarterback, New York Jets
(AP
)
Namath threw for 2,734 yards and 19 touchdowns while scoring two rushing touchdowns as he led the Jets to a 10-4 record and the Eastern Division title.
American Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
's best player for each year was called the Most Valuable Player by some sports-news sources and the Player of the Year by others. The awards by the major services are shown below.
1960
ABNER HAYNESAbner Haynes
Abner Haynes is a former college and professional football player in the United States.Haynes is a graduate of North Texas State University where he and his then teammate Leon King integrated college football in the state of Texas in 1956...
, Running Back, Dallas Texans
Dallas Texans
-American football:*Dallas Texans , 1952 team in the National Football League*Dallas Texans , 1960–1962 team that is now the Kansas City Chiefs*Dallas Texans , 1990–1993 Arena Football League team-Ice hockey:...
(IU
IU
IU may mean:Universities*Indiana University, a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States*a misnomer for IUP, Indiana University of Pennsylvania...
, AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
)
In the league’s first year, Haynes led the AFL in rushing attempts, yards, and touchdowns. Haynes helped launch the AFL as the fledgling league's first Most Valuable Player, and its first Rookie of the Year
American Football League Rookies of the Year
In each year of its ten-year existence , numerous sports-news services named their choice for the American Football League's best first-year player...
. He captured the AFL's first rushing crown with 875 yards, and also led the Texans in receiving, punt returns, and kickoff returns.
1961
GEORGE BLANDAGeorge Blanda
George Frederick Blanda was a collegiate and professional football quarterback and placekicker...
, quarterback, Houston Oilers (UPI, AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, TSN
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
)
Blanda completed 187 of 362 passes for 3,330 yards and 36 touchdowns, for 216 points. He added another 112 points on conversions (64 of 65) and field goals (16 of 26). In the Oilers' 10-6 victory over the San Diego Chargers in the American Football League Championship game, Blanda had a hand in all the Oilers' scoring, throwing a 25-yard pass to Billy Cannon, and kicking the extra point and a 46-yard field goal.
1962
COOKIE GILCHRISTCookie Gilchrist
Carlton Chester "Cookie" Gilchrist was a gridiron football player in the American Football League and Canadian Football League.-Career:...
, fullback, Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(UPI, AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
)
Carlton Chester "Cookie" Gilchrist came from the Canadian Football League and took American pro football by storm. In his first year in the league, he became its first thousand-yard rusher, gaining (in a 14-game season) 1,096 yards on 246 carries for a 5.1 yards-per-carry average and 13 touchdowns, an all-time league record. He also caught 24 passes for 319 yards and two touchdowns, and kicked 14 extra points and seven field goals, the longest a 42-yarder.
LEN DAWSON
Len Dawson
Leonard Ray "Len" "Lenny" Dawson is a former American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback who attended Purdue University and went on to play for three professional teams, most notably the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs...
, quarterback, Dallas Texans
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
(TSN
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
)
Len Dawson completed 61% (189 of 310) of his passes for 2,759 yards and 29 touchdowns, while rushing 38 times for 252 yards and three touchdowns. He led the Texans to an 11-3 regular season, and a 23-20 victory in the classic double-overtime American Football League Championship game against the Houston Oilers.
1963
LANCE ALWORTHLance Alworth
Lance Dwight Alworth is a former American collegiate and Professional Football wide receiver. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame...
, flanker, San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(UPI)
Lance Alworth played in only four games in his rookie year of 1962, but in 1963, he played the full 14-game schedule and showed the talent that would make him pro football's best receiver. He caught 61 passes for 1,205 yards, a 19.8 yard-per-catch average, for 11 touchdowns, and helped the San Diego Chargers to an 11-3 record and a 51-10 victory over the Boston Patriots in the championship game.
TOBIN ROTE
Tobin Rote
Tobin Cornelius Rote was an American college and professional football player who played quarterback for the NFL's Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions, the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts, and the American Football League's San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos.-Early life:Rote...
, quarterback, San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
)
Tobin Rote threw for 2,510 yards in 1963, on 170 completions out of 286 attempts, for 17 touchdowns, and he ran for two scores. In the American Football League Championship game, he scored a rushing touchdown and passed for three more as he led the San Diego Chargers to a 51-10 defeat of the Boston Patriots, thus becoming the only quarterback to win championships in both the NFL and the AFL.
CLEM DANIELS
Clem Daniels
Clemon C. Daniels Jr. is an American former Professional Football star in the American Football League who also played in the NFL.-College career:...
, halfback, Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(TSN
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
)
Clem Daniels had phenomenal rushing and pass-receiving averages in 1963: 5.1 yards per carry and 22.8 yards per reception. He gained 1,099 yards on 215 carries with two rushing touchdowns, and piled up 685 yards on 30 receptions, with five receiving touchdowns.
1964
GINO CAPPELLETTIGino Cappelletti
Gino Cappelletti is a former American collegiate and Professional Football player. He played at the University of Minnesota, and was a star in the American Football League for the Boston Patriots...
, flanker/placekicker, Boston Patriots (UPI, AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, TSN
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
)
Gino Cappelletti was not a fast receiver, but a wily one who caught 49 passes for 865 yards and 7 touchdowns for the Boston Patriots in 1964. He was also their kicker, making 35 of 36 extra point attempts and 22 of 38 field goal tries for a total of 155 points, which would be the highest single season total in the league's ten-year existence.
1965
PAUL LOWEPaul Lowe
Paul Edward Lowe is a retired American football running back who played for the Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League from 1960 to 1969.-College career:...
, halfback, San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(UPI, TSN
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
)
Paul Lowe was the first American Football League player to gain more than 1,000 yards rushing in two different seasons, with 1,010 in 1963 and 1,121 in his MVP year of 1965. He carried 222 times for a 5 yards-per-carry average and scored 6 touchdowns rushing and one receiving.
JACK KEMP
Jack Kemp
Jack French Kemp was an American politician and a collegiate and professional football player. A Republican, he served as Housing Secretary in the administration of President George H. W. Bush from 1989 to 1993, having previously served nine terms as a congressman for Western New York's 31st...
, quarterback, Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
)
After leading the Buffalo Bills to their first American Football League Championship the previous year, Jack Kemp continued his stellar play in 1965, passing for 2,368 yards and 10 touchdowns, and rushing for 4 more scores. In the Championship game, he quickly put the Bills ahead on an 18-yard scoring strike to tight end Ernie Warlick, and they went on to defeat Kemp's former team, the Chargers, for the second straight year, 23-0.
1966
JIM NANCEJim Nance
James Solomon "Big Jim" Nance was an American collegiate and Professional Football fullback with the Boston Patriots during their days in the American Football League...
, fullback, Boston Patriots (UPI, AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, TSN
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
)
Jim Nance, at 6'-1" and 243 pounds was a classic fullback who, in 1966 with the Boston Patriots, rushed for what would go down as the highest total in the history of the American Football League: 1,458 yards on 299 carries for 11 touchdowns.
1967
DARYLE LAMONICADaryle Lamonica
Daryle Pat Lamonica is a former American collegiate and professional football quarterback who played in the American Football League, and later in the NFL....
, quarterback, Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(UPI, AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, TSN
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
)
Daryle Lamonica, the 'Mad Bomber', passed for over 3,000 yards, with 3,228 yards off 220 completions on 425 attempts, for 30 touchdowns, running for another four. He had 2 touchdown passes and ran for another in the Oakland Raiders 40-7 victory over the Houston Oilers in the American Football League Championship game.
1968
JOE NAMATHJoe Namath
Joseph William "Joe" Namath , nicknamed "Broadway Joe" or "Joe Willie", is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Alabama under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and his assistant, Howard Schnellenberger, from 1962–1964, and professional football in the...
, quarterback, New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(UPI, AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
, TSN
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
)
The year after he passed for an AFL record 4,007 yards, Joe Namath was the 1968 American Football League MVP, as he completed 187 of 380 passes for 3,147 yards and 15 touchdowns, also scoring two rushing touchdowns. Three passes for touchdowns in the 1968 AFL Championship game helped defeat the Oakland Raiders, 27-23, and the Jets went on to defeat the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.
1969
In 1967, Joe Namath threw for 4,007 yards, but Daryle Lamonica, with 3,228, was the consensus AFL MVP. In 1968, Lamonica threw for 100 more yards and 10 more touchdowns than Namath, but Namath was the consensus AFL MVP. In 1969, the AFL's final year, they shared the honor, the only two players to receive the award twice.DARYLE LAMONICA
Daryle Lamonica
Daryle Pat Lamonica is a former American collegiate and professional football quarterback who played in the American Football League, and later in the NFL....
, quarterback, Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(UPI, TSN
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
)
Lamonica had his third straight 3,000-yard season, passing for 3,302, with 34 touchdowns, and he ran for one score. In the AFL Interdivision Playoff Game, coming off three days in the hospital for back problems, he threw for 4 touchdowns in the Raiders 56-7 defeat of the Houston Oilers.
JOE NAMATH
Joe Namath
Joseph William "Joe" Namath , nicknamed "Broadway Joe" or "Joe Willie", is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Alabama under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and his assistant, Howard Schnellenberger, from 1962–1964, and professional football in the...
, quarterback, New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
)
Namath threw for 2,734 yards and 19 touchdowns while scoring two rushing touchdowns as he led the Jets to a 10-4 record and the Eastern Division title.
See also
- List of American Football League players
- UPI AFL-AFC Player of the YearUPI AFL-AFC Player of the YearFrom 1960 to 1969, the United Press International gave the annual AFL Player of the Year award in the American Football League, whose teams in 1970 became the American Football Conference of the new National Football League ....