The 7 Best NFL Quarterbacks Who Never Won an MVP (2024)

Leading a Super Bowl-winning team is always a quarterback's top priority, but they certainly wouldn't mind adding a prestigious individual award to their trophy case.

Some of the best signal-callers in NFL history never secured a Most Valuable Player honor, though.

During the last two decades in particular, it hasn't helped that Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers decided to hog the AP honor. They've accounted for 12 MVPs since 2003, and Patrick Mahomes—who's already won two—is trending toward a similar run.

As a result, the list of MVP-less quarterbacks includes former stars Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger and more.

The choices are subjective but consider a player's career production and other individual honors.

I think Troy Aikman managed OK anyway.

The first overall pick of the 1989 draft, Aikman started 164 games over 12 years with the Dallas Cowboys. He made six straight Pro Bowls and finished fifth in MVP voting after the 1993 season.

Most importantly, though, he helped the franchise win three championships. While he never earned the regular-season honor, Aikman was named the Super Bowl XXVII MVP. He totaled 301 yards and four touchdowns in the Cowboys' 52-17 rout of the Buffalo Bills.

Aikman, who retired with the 20th-most passing yards (32,942) in NFL history, entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006.

If you're surprised Drew Brees never won an MVP award, you're undoubtedly not alone. Brees is one of the most productive QBs ever.

Brees retired as the NFL's all-time passing leader with 80,358 yards, and his 571 touchdowns only trailed Tom Brady. Brees landed the AP Offensive Player of the Year twice, five AP All-Pro honors and 13 Pro Bowl trips during his time with the San Diego Chargers and New Orleans Saints.

But he finished second in MVP voting four times.

Former teammate LaDainian Tomlinson beat Brees in 2006 before Peyton Manning (2009), Rodgers (2011) and Mahomes (2018) did the same.

Similar to Aikman, though, at least Brees received the MVP for a two-touchdown day in Super Bowl XLIV.

In reality, Eli Manning never came close to a regular-season honor. He received zero votes for Offensive Player of the Year or MVP.

But, hey, he showed up when it mattered most.

Manning guided the New York Giants to a pair of NFL titles, winning MVPs in Super Bowl XLII and XLVI. New York defeated Brady and the New England Patriots in both games, memorably preventing the Pats from completing a perfect season in 2007.

When he retired after the 2019 season, Manning ranked seventh all-time in passing yards (57,023) and touchdowns (366).

After spending six seasons with the CFL's Edmonton Eskimos, Warren Moon headed to the NFL in 1984.

Moon spent the next decade on the Houston Oilers, twice leading the NFL in passing and throwing a league-best 33 touchdowns in 1990. That season, he won AP Offensive Player of the Year and a second-team All-Pro mention—but settled for third in MVP voting.

That would be the closest he came to winning the award. Moon also finished fifth in 1988 and sixth in 1993.

Moon retired after the 2000 season with the third-most passing yards (49,325) and fourth-most touchdowns (291) ever. He's since become the only player to enter the Pro and Canadian Football Hall of Fames.

Want an asterisk? Immediately before he joined the NFL, Moon won the CFL's Most Outstanding Player honor in 1983.

One of the more underappreciated quarterbacks in NFL history, Philip Rivers neither has an MVP nor a Super Bowl to his name.

But, once eligible in 2026—or soon after—he should be a Hall of Famer.

Rivers threw for 63,440 yards and 421 touchdowns, which both ranked fifth all-time. He made eight Pro Bowls, ended fourth in three Offensive Player of the Year races and peaked at third in MVP voting in 2009.

The unfortunate part is he's mostly remembered for playoff woes. Five of Rivers' six playoff trips on the Chargers finished with a loss in the Divisional Round, and the Indianapolis Colts dropped their wild-card game in his lone season with the organization.

Rivers, though, still had a tremendous career.

Within this group, Ben Roethlisberger is a rarity.

Moon and Rivers didn't win an NFL championship. Aikman, Brees, Manning and—spoiler alert—Roger Staubach each celebrated at least one title and landed Super Bowl MVP recognition.

Roethlisberger, though, helped the Pittsburgh Steelers win a couple rings without the award. Wide receivers Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes deservedly took home MVPs in Super Bowl XL and XLIII, respectively.

Instead, "Big Ben" compiled huge career numbers with the fifth-most passing yards (64,088) and eighth-most touchdowns (418).

Other than Brees, no quarterback listed came as close to winning an MVP on multiple occasions than Roger Staubach.

The longtime Dallas starter finished second in 1971 and fourth in both 1978 and 1979.

Staubach posted an 85-29 record in 11 seasons on the Cowboys, who captured a pair of championships with him under center. He tossed two touchdowns to secure the MVP of Super Bowl VI, too.

One of the earliest dual-threat QBs in league history, Staubach passed for 22,700 yards and 153 touchdowns while scampering for 2,264 yards with 20 scores. He retired after the 1979 season with the third-most rushing yards by a quarterback in the post-merger era.