New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who led the NFL in passing yards, was selected as the 2017 NFL Most Valuable Player, chosen in voting conducted by the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA).
Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley, who led the NFL in total yards from scrimmage and total touchdowns, was selected as the 2017 Offensive Player of the Year.
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Calais Campbell, who led the AFC and was second in the NFL in sacks, was named the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year.
Brady, in his 18th NFL season, is the 44th MVP honored by the PFWA, and he earned the PFWA’s award for the third time (2007, 2010). Brady is now second in total PFWA NFL MVP awards, behind only Peyton Manning, who had four (2004, 2008, 2009 and 2013). He is the fifth consecutive quarterback to be selected MVP by the PFWA.
Brady started all 16 games in 2017, and completed 385 of 581 passes (66.3 completion percentage; fifth in the NFL) for a league-leading 4,577 yards, 32 touchdowns (third in the NFL), only eight interceptions and a 102.8 passer rating (third in the NFL) as the Patriots won the AFC East and gained the AFC’s No. 1 seed with a 13-3 record behind 458 points scored (second in the NFL). He also led the NFL in passing yards per game at 286.1 and 25-plus-yard completions with 40. The 40-year-old quarterback became the oldest player to lead the league in passing yards. Brady was selected as the AFC Offensive Player of the Month for November, AFC Offensive Player of the Week three times (Weeks 2, 3 and 10) and was selected to the PFWA’s 2017 All-NFL and All-AFC teams.
Gurley, in his third season, became the fourth Rams player to be selected as PFWA Offensive Player of the Year, with quarterback Kurt Warner (1999) and running back Marshall Faulk (2000-01). He is the first running back to win the Offensive Player of the Year award since DeMarco Murray (2014). Gurley was selected to the PFWA’s 2017 All-NFL and All-NFC teams.
Gurley started 15 games in 2017, and he rushed 279 times for 1,305 yards (second in the NFL) and 13 touchdowns. He also caught a team-high 64 passes for 788 yards and six touchdowns to lead the NFL in both total yards from scrimmage (2,093) and total touchdowns (19). He led the NFL in 10-plus-yard rushes with 39 and his 66 rushing first downs was second in the league. Gurley also led all NFL running backs in highest receiving yard average (12.3 yards per catch) and 25-yard-plus receptions (nine). His 276 scrimmage yards at the Tennessee Titans on December 24 was the most by any NFL player in 2017, and he became only the third player in NFL history to have 150 or more receiving yards and 100 or more rushing yards in the same game. Gurley was selected as the NFC Offensive Player of the Month for September, NFC Offensive Player of the Week three times (Weeks 4, 15 and 16) and was selected to the PFWA’s All-NFL and All-NFC teams.
Campbell, in his 10th season, started all 16 games and had 67 total tackles (47 solo), a AFC-leading and club record 14.5 sacks (second in the NFL) for minus-96 yards. He also had 14 tackles for loss, 30 quarterback hits, three passes defensed, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He set a club record with four sacks in the season opener at Houston on September 10 and recorded at least one-half sack in six consecutive games. He returned a fumble 10 yards for a touchdown at Arizona on November 26. Campbell earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors in Week 1.
Campbell is the first Jaguars player to earn the PFWA’s Defensive Player of the Year honor since it was first awarded in 1992. He is the sixth straight defensive end to be named Defensive Player of the Year. Campbell was selected to the PFWA’s 2017 All-NFL and All-AFC teams.
2017 MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots
2017 OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: RB Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams
2017 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: DE Calais Campbell, Jacksonville Jaguars
PFWA NFL MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: 1966 – Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers; 1967-74 – no selections; 1975 – QB Fran Tarkenton, Minnesota Vikings; 1976 – QB Bert Jones, Baltimore Colts; 1977 – RB Walter Payton, Chicago Bears; 1978 – RB Earl Campbell, Houston Oilers; 1979 – RB Earl Campbell, Houston Oilers; 1980 – QB Brian Sipe, Cleveland Browns; 1981 – QB Ken Anderson, Cincinnati Bengals; 1982 – QB Dan Fouts, San Diego Chargers; 1983 – QB Joe Theismann, Washington Redskins; 1984 – QB Dan Marino, Miami Dolphins; 1985 – RB Marcus Allen, Los Angeles Raiders; 1986 – LB Lawrence Taylor, New York Giants; 1987 – WR Jerry Rice, San Francisco 49ers; 1988 – QB Boomer Esiason, Cincinnati Bengals; 1989 – QB Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers; 1990 – QB Randall Cunningham, Philadelphia Eagles; 1991 – RB Thurman Thomas, Buffalo Bills; 1992 – QB Steve Young, San Francisco 49ers; 1993 – RB Emmitt Smith, Dallas Cowboys; 1994 – QB Steve Young, San Francisco 49ers; 1995 – QB Brett Favre, Green Bay Packers; 1996 – QB Brett Favre, Green Bay Packers; 1997 – RB Barry Sanders, Detroit Lions; 1998 – RB Terrell Davis, Denver Broncos; 1999 – QB Kurt Warner, St. Louis Rams; 2000 – RB Marshall Faulk, St. Louis Rams; 2001 – RB Marshall Faulk, St. Louis Rams; 2002 – QB Rich Gannon, Oakland Raiders; 2003 – RB Jamal Lewis, Baltimore Ravens; 2004 – QB Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts; 2005 – RB Shaun Alexander, Seattle Seahawks; 2006 – RB LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers; 2007 – QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots; 2008 – QB Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts; 2009 – QB Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts; 2010 – QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots; 2011 – QB Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers; 2012 – RB Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings; 2013 – QB Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos; 2014 – QB Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers; 2015 – QB Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers; 2016 – QB Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons; 2017 – QB Tom Brady, New England Patriots.