Drake Maye is lighting up the NFL in just his second season.
Heading into Week 18, the Patriots quarterback leads the league in completion percentage (71.7%), passer rating (112.9), QBR (76.5), and yards per attempt (8.9), all while also notching top-five numbers in passing yards (4,203) and touchdown passes (30).
And he’s doing all of this at just 23 years old.
Following Monday night’s dud from the Rams—one that saw Matthew Stafford throw three interceptions in a loss to the Falcons—Maye is now the odds-on favorite to win the NFL’s MVP award with just one game remaining in the regular season. Should he complete the feat, the 23-year-old would become one of the youngest players in league history to earn the honor.
On the topic, here’s a look at the 20 youngest players to ever win the NFL’s MVP award:
Youngest Players to Win MVP in NFL History
| Player | Age | Team, Season |
|---|---|---|
| RB Jim Brown | 21 | Cleveland Browns, 1957 |
| QB Lamar Jackson | 22 | Baltimore Ravens, 2019 |
| RB Jim Brown | 22 | Cleveland Browns, 1958 |
| QB Patrick Mahomes | 23 | Kansas City Chiefs, 2018 |
| QB Dan Marino | 23 | Miami Dolphins, 1984 |
| RB Walter Payton | 23 | Chicago Bears, 1977 |
| RB Emmitt Smith | 24 | Dallas Cowboys, 1993 |
| RB Earl Campbell | 24 | Houston Oilers, 1979 |
| RB Thurman Thomas | 25 | Buffalo Bills, 1991 |
| RB Marcus Allen | 25 | Los Angeles Raiders, 1985 |
| QB Bert Jones | 25 | Baltimore Colts, 1976 |
| RB Larry Brown | 25 | Washington, 1972 |
| QB Lamar Jackson | 26 | Baltimore Ravens, 2023 |
| QB Cam Newton | 26 | Carolina Panthers, 2015 |
| RB Terrell Davis | 26 | Denver Broncos, 1998 |
| QB Brett Favre | 26 | Green Bay Packers, 1995 |
| RB O.J. Simpson | 26 | Buffalo Bills, 1973 |
| DT Alan Page | 26 | Minnesota Vikings, 1971 |
| RB/K Paul Hornung | 26 | Green Bay Packers, 1961 |
| QB Johnny Unitas | 26 | Baltimore Colts, 1959 |
Should Maye ultimately win the award, he’d rank among the seven youngest players ever to do so—and also become just the fourth quarterback to be named league MVP at age 23 or younger, joining Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, and Dan Marino.
Pretty good company.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Youngest NFL MVP Winners in League History.
