Jim Thorpe Trophy

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For the college football award for defensive backs, see Jim Thorpe Award.

The Jim Thorpe Memorial Trophy

Del Rio News Herald called it the "highest professional football award, period."[7] Earl Campbell was the first player to win the award in consecutive seasons,[8] capturing three straight from 1978 to 1980.[9] Quarterbacks Charlie Conerly (1959) and Roman Gabriel (1969) won the trophy despite not being voted to the NEA's All-Pro first team in their respective seasons—Johnny Unitas was named to the first team over Conerly, while Sonny Jurgensen got the nod over Gabriel.[10][11][12]

The award was founded by Murray Olderman, a sportswriter and cartoonist for the NEA.[1][13][14] It was named in honor of Jim Thorpe, a professional football pioneer who was a player and the first president of what became the NFL.[1][15][16] At the award's inception, Olderman sent ballots to every player in the league.[17][18] Coaches joined the players in the voting process in 1975.[19] Starting in 1987, the award became a joint project between the NEA, Jim Thorpe Association, and National Football League Players Association (NFLPA).[20] Olderman also left the NEA that year and ended his association with the award.[18] The NFLPA took over the balloting and added Pro Football Hall of Fame members to the voting panel in place of coaches.[21][22]

The first recipient of the Jim Thorpe Trophy was

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, took over the presentation of the trophy in 1987,[32] presenting it at the existing awards banquet for their Jim Thorpe Award, which honors the top defensive back in college football.[31] The NFL trophy was redesigned that year to feature a bronze statuette of Jim Thorpe.[33]

Awardees

Award winners
Season Player Team Position Ref
1955 Harlon Hill Chicago Bears
End
 [34]
1956 Frank Gifford New York Giants Running back [35]
1957 Johnny Unitas Baltimore Colts Quarterback [36]
1958 Jim Brown Cleveland Browns
Fullback
 [37]
1959 Charlie Conerly New York Giants Quarterback [38]
1960 Norm Van Brocklin Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback [5]
1961 Y. A. Tittle New York Giants Quarterback [39]
1962 Jim Taylor Green Bay Packers Running back [40]
1963 Y. A. Tittle (2) New York Giants Quarterback [41]
Jim Brown (2) Cleveland Browns Running back
1964 Lenny Moore Baltimore Colts Halfback [42]
1965 Jim Brown (3) Cleveland Browns Running back [43]
1966 Bart Starr Green Bay Packers Quarterback [44]
1967 Johnny Unitas (2) Baltimore Colts Quarterback [45]
1968 Earl Morrall Baltimore Colts Quarterback [46]
1969 Roman Gabriel Los Angeles Rams Quarterback [10]
1970 John Brodie San Francisco 49ers Quarterback [47]
1971 Bob Griese Miami Dolphins Quarterback [48]
1972 Larry Brown
Washington Redskins
 Running back [9]
1973 O. J. Simpson Buffalo Bills Running back
1974 Ken Stabler Oakland Raiders Quarterback
1975 Fran Tarkenton Minnesota Vikings Quarterback [49]
1976 Bert Jones Baltimore Colts Quarterback [9]
1977 Walter Payton Chicago Bears Running back
1978 Earl Campbell Houston Oilers Running back [50]
1979 Earl Campbell (2) Houston Oilers Running back [9]
1980 Earl Campbell (3) Houston Oilers Running back [51]
1981 Ken Anderson Cincinnati Bengals Quarterback [3]
1982 Dan Fouts San Diego Chargers Quarterback
1983 Joe Theismann Washington Redskins Quarterback
1984 Dan Marino Miami Dolphins Quarterback
1985 Walter Payton (2) Chicago Bears Running back
1986 Phil Simms New York Giants Quarterback
1987 Jerry Rice San Francisco 49ers Wide receiver
1988 Roger Craig San Francisco 49ers Running back
1989 Joe Montana San Francisco 49ers Quarterback
1990 Warren Moon Houston Oilers Quarterback
1991 Thurman Thomas Buffalo Bills Running back
1992 Emmitt Smith Dallas Cowboys Running back
1993 Emmitt Smith (2) Dallas Cowboys Running back
1994
Steve Young
 San Francisco 49ers Quarterback [32]
1995 Brett Favre Green Bay Packers Quarterback [3]
1996 Brett Favre (2) Green Bay Packers Quarterback
1997 Barry Sanders Detroit Lions Running back [52]
1998 Randall Cunningham Minnesota Vikings Quarterback [3]
1999 Kurt Warner St. Louis Rams Quarterback
2000 Marshall Faulk St. Louis Rams Running back
2001 Kurt Warner (2) St. Louis Rams Quarterback
2002 Rich Gannon Oakland Raiders Quarterback
2003 Peyton Manning Indianapolis Colts Quarterback
2004 Peyton Manning (2) Indianapolis Colts Quarterback
2005 Shaun Alexander Seattle Seahawks Running back
2006 LaDainian Tomlinson San Diego Chargers Running back
2007 Tom Brady New England Patriots Quarterback
2008 Kurt Warner (3) Arizona Cardinals Quarterback [53]

See also

  • List of National Football League awards

References

  1. ^
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  3. ^ a b c d "Newspaper Ent. Assoc. NFL Most Valuable Player Winners". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
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  5. ^ a b Olderman, Murray (December 16, 1960). "Van Brocklin Gets Jim Thorpe Trophy". The Telegraph. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 12. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  6. ^ Stout, Harold (October 26, 1975). "Harlon Hill Elected for Hall of Fame". Times Daily. p. 23. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
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  9. ^
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  10. ^ a b Olderman, Murray (December 25, 1969). "Roman Gabriel Wins Jim Thorpe Award". The Gastonia Gazette. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 37. Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved February 16, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
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  14. ^ Horgan, Richard (May 21, 2014). "SO WHAT DO YOU DO, MURRAY OLDERMAN, ICONIC SPORTS JOURNALIST AND CARTOONIST?". Media Bistro. Archived from the original on April 14, 2015.
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  31. ^ a b Lassiter, Jim (May 28, 1987). "Thorpe Athletic Club Plans To Honor Top NFL Player". The Oklahoman. Retrieved June 26, 2021.
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  34. ^ Grainger, Charles (February 20, 1957). "Harlon Hill Due For Six Months' Army Service". The Tuscaloosa News. Associated Press. p. 9. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  35. ^ "Giants' Frank Gifford Named Top Star in NFL by Players". The Pittsburgh Press. December 20, 1956. p. 24. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  36. ^ Olderman, Murray (December 20, 1957). "John Unitas Wins Jim Thorpe Trophy". Miami Daily News-Record. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 5. Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved February 16, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  37. ^ Olderman, Murray (December 16, 1958). "Cleveland's Jimmy Brown Grabs Jim Thorpe Trophy". TimesDaily. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 7. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  38. ^ Olderman, Murray (December 20, 1959). "Giant Ace Wins Thorpe Title". Gadsden Times. Newspaper Enterprise Association. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  39. ^ Olderman, Murray (December 27, 1961). "Players Name Tittle Thorpe Trophy Winner". The Telegraph. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 12. Retrieved June 27, 2016.
  40. ^ Olderman, Murray (December 18, 1962). "Thorpe Trophy Won By Packer Fullback". The Evening Sun. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 10. Retrieved February 15, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  41. ^ "Tittle and Brown Win Thorpe Trophy". The Fort Scott Tribune. Newspaper Enterprise Association. December 23, 1963. p. 11. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  42. ^ Olderman, Murray (December 18, 1964). "Thorpe Trophy Caps Len Moore's Comeback". The Pittsburgh Press. p. 36. Retrieved June 27, 2016.
  43. ^ "11th Annual Thorpe Trophy Goes To Cleveland's Brown". The Bristol Daily Courier. Newspaper Enterprise Association. December 28, 1965. p. 21. Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved February 16, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  44. ^ Olderman, Murray (December 22, 1966). "Bart Starr Is Selected Jim Thorpe Award Winner". Standard-Speaker. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 25. Retrieved February 16, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  45. ^ Olderman, Murray (December 29, 1967). "Unitas Claims Jim Thorpe Cup". The Daily Mail (Hagerstown, Maryland). Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 10. Retrieved February 16, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  46. ^ Olderman, Murray (December 26, 1968). "Earl Morrall Wins Jim Thorpe Trophy". The Daily Herald. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 12. Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved February 16, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  47. ^ Olderman, Murray (December 29, 1970). "John Brodie Wins The 1970 Jim Thorpe Award". Pampa Daily News. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 8. Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. Retrieved February 16, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
  48. ^ "Bob Griese Gets Thorpe Trophy As Top Player". Gettysburg Times. Associated Press. January 5, 1972. p. 4. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  49. ^ "Jim Thorpe award goes to Tarkenton". Gadsden Times. Newspaper Enterprise Association. January 21, 1976. p. 30. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
  50. ^ "Campbell wins Thorpe". Park City Daily News. December 26, 1979. p. 4-B. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  51. ^ Olderman, Murray (January 18, 1981). "Earl Campbell: a triple champ". The Nevada Daily Mail. Newspaper Enterprise Association. p. 10. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
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External links

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