Every NFL MVP since 1985

Stud Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers won his second NFL MVP in 2014. Rodgers led the Packers to a 12-4 record while passing for 4,381 yards, 38 touchdowns and throwing only five interceptions. Unfortunately, the Packers' season ended in heartbreak in the NFC title game against the Seattle Seahawks.

In 2013, Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning won a record fifth NFL MVP, and did Peyton ever deserve it. Manning threw for an NFL record 55 touchdown passes, along with 5,477 passing yards. The Broncos' offense scored an NFL record 606 points and made it all the way to Super Bowl XLVIII.

The most recent running back to win the award, Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings was named NFL MVP in 2012. All Peterson did to win the award was run for 2,097 yards and 13 total touchdowns. Peterson fell just eight yards short of setting the NFL record for most rushing yards in a season.

Aaron Rodgers nabbed his first NFL MVP in 2001, winning 14 regular-season games as the Packers' starter. Rodgers also threw for 4,643 yards and 45 touchdowns. He was named the AP Athlete of the Year as well.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady won his second NFL MVP in 2010. Brady led the Pats to a 14-2 record while throwing for 3,900 yards and 36 touchdown passes.

Leading the Colts to a 14-2 regular-season record, Peyton Manning won his fourth overall and second straight MVP in 2009. In typical Manning fashion, Peyton threw for 4,500 yards, 33 touchdowns and had completion percentage of 68.8.

Another year, another MVP for Peyton Manning. The future Hall of Famer threw for 4,002 yards and 27 touchdowns for the Colts in 2008, leading the team to a 12-4 regular-season record.

Tom Brady had quite possibly the greatest single season for a quarterback in 2007. He threw for 4,806 passing yards, 50 touchdowns (a record at the time) and led the Patriots to an undefeated regular season, the first in the NFL since 1972. Brady won MVP easily, but his Patriots lost a dramatic Super Bowl to the Giants.

At his peak, the NFL has seen very few running backs capable of what LaDainian Tomlinson could do. The former Chargers great won the 2006 MVP behind 1,815 rushing yards and an NFL record 31 touchdowns. 2006 was a good year to have L.T. on your fantasy team.

Although you hardly hear his name anymore, former Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander was a dominant player at his best. Alexander won the 2005 NFL MVP award, rushing for 1,880 yards and 27 touchdowns. He led the Seahawks all the way to the Super Bowl that season, where Seattle would come up short against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Peyton Manning had another MVP season with the Colts in 2004. Manning passed for a then-NFL record 49 touchdown passes, 4,557 yards and led the Colts to a 12-4 record. The Colts would go down to Tom Brady and the Patriots, however, in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs.

2003 was a rare year in the NFL in which co-MVPs were named. Peyton Manning won his first MVP with the Colts, while Titans quarterback Steve McNair also earned his first and only MVP award. McNair threw for over 3,000 yards and had a league-high passer rating of 100.4.

Former Oakland Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon won NFL MVP as a 37-year-old in 2002. Playing in a West Coast-style offense, Gannon threw for 4,689 yards and 26 touchdowns, recording a career-high 97.2 passer rating. The Raiders made it all the way to Super Bowl XXXVII but lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Leading the Rams to a 14-2 regular-season record, quarterback Kurt Warner won his second career NFL MVP award. Warner passed for 4,830 yards, 36 touchdowns and had a passer rating of 101.4. Unfortunately for Warner and his Rams, some quarterback named Tom Brady and his New England Patriots upset the Rams 20-17 in Super Bowl XXXVI.

Marshall, Marshall, Marshall. St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk could do absolutely anything he wanted to on a football field, and his 2000 MVP-winning season was a testament to that. Faulk became the first NFL player to run and catch for over 1,000 yards each in a season, finishing with 2,429 yards from scrimmage and 26 total touchdowns.

After starting quarterback Trent Green went down with a knee injury in the preseason, the Rams turned to an unproven backup by the name of Kurt Warner. No one could have predicted that the 28-year-old Warner would pioneer the greatest offense in NFL history (at the time) and lead the Rams to victory in Super Bowl XXXIV. Warner easily won MVP that season.

With an aging John Elway at quarterback, the Broncos turned to running back Terrell Davis to lead the way, and boy, did he ever do just that. Davis ran for over 2,000 yards, scored 23 total touchdowns and led the Broncos to back-to-back Super Bowl championships. Davis won his lone NFL MVP that season.

1997 saw the NFL name co-MVPs for the first time in league history. Packers quarterback Brett Favre won his third straight MVP, while Detroit Lions legend Barry Sanders won his lone MVP that year.

Brett Favre won his second of three MVPs in 1996, leading Green Bay to a 13-3 record. The Packers' gunslinger threw for 3,899 passing yards and led the NFL with 39 touchdown passes. The Packers would win their third Super Bowl in franchise history that season.

Packers quarterback Brett Favre took home MVP honors in 1995 behind an NFL-high 4,413 passing yards and 38 touchdown passes. The Packers legend was well on his way to a Hall of Fame career.

Steve Young won his second MVP award with the 49ers in 1994. Young led San Francisco to a 13-3 season, which was capped off by a win over the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX.

The NFL’s all-time leader in rushing yards, Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith won his lone MVP as a 24-year-old in 1993. Smith ran for 1,486 yards and scored 10 total touchdowns in just 14 regular-season games. The Cowboys won the Super Bowl that season.

Tasked with replacing legendary 49ers quarterback Joe Montana, Steve Young won the MVP in his first year as the 49ers' opening-day starter. Young led the 49ers to 14-2 record and led the NFL with a quarterback rating of 107.0.

Leading the attack for the Buffalo Bills, running back Thurman Thomas won the NFL’s MVP award in 1991. Thomas rushed for 1,407 yards, 11 touchdowns and led the league in yards from scrimmage with 1,829 total.

In his final season as the San Francisco 49ers' starting quarterback, Joe Montana led the Niners to a 14-2 regular-season record and passed for 3,944 yards with 26 touchdowns. Montana won the 1990 MVP award in a landslide.

Winning 11 out of 13 games as the 49ers' starter in 1989, Joe Montana won his first regular-season MVP award. The Niners quarterback passed for over 3,500 yards and led the NFL with a quarterback rating of 112.4. The 49ers would defeat the Denver Broncos 55-10 in the Super Bowl that year.

The greatest quarterback in Cincinnati Bengals history, Boomer Esaison took home the 1988 NFL MVP award behind 3,572 passing yards and 28 touchdown passes. Esaison led the Bengals to 12-4 record and an appearance in Super Bowl XXIII.

Considered by many to be the greatest quarterback in NFL history, it might be surprising to find out that former Broncos great John Elway only won one MVP award. He won it in 1987, as he threw for over 3,000 yards and led the Broncos to an appearance in Super Bowl XXII.

It might be hard to believe, but the last defensive player to win NFL MVP was Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor in 1986. One of the greatest, if not the greatest, defensive player in NFL history, Taylor garnered a then-NFL record 20.5 sacks and was as dominating a force on a football field as the NFL has ever seen.

The year of 1985 belonged to Los Angeles Raiders running back Marcus Allen. The former Heisman Trophy winner won his first and only NFL MVP behind 1,759 yards rushing and 14 total touchdowns.