While doing unrelated research today, I came across this stat regarding NFL MVPs. It’s a stat I have never heard mentioned on any ND message board, any ND publication or broadcast. Since the Associated Press started to announce the NFL’s most valuable players back in 1957, one school has stood atop the NCAA as having delivered the most number of players to be selected as the NFL’s MVP. You guessed it, Notre Dame.
The Irish have sent four players on to become NFL MVPs (Paul Hournung, Alan Page, Joe Theismann, Joe Montana). LSU and Alabama come in second with three, though it has been reported that Alabama claims seven.
This at the very least adds to a little of the intrigue to the Brady Quinn vs. Jamarcus Russell NFL career battle. Charlie Weis has said that in three years, Quinn will be one of the top three QBs in the league, while pundits like Todd McShay seemingly salivate daily over Russell, who rose as the media favorite after his most impressive day as a collegiate quarterback came against a lowly Notre Dame defense.
| Season | Player | College |
| 1957 | Jim Brown | Syracuse |
| 1958 | Gino Marchetti | San Francisco |
| 1959 | Charlie Conerly | Ole Miss |
| 1960 | Norm Van Brocklin | Oregon |
| 1960 | Joe Schmidt | Pittsburgh |
| 1961 | Paul Hornung | ND |
| 1962 | Jim Taylor | LSU |
| 1963 | Y.A. Tittle | LSU |
| 1964 | Johnny Unitas | Louisville |
| 1965 | Jim Brown | Syracuse |
| 1966 | Bart Starr | Alabama |
| 1967 | Johnny Unitas | Louisville |
| 1968 | Earl Morrall | Michigan State |
| 1969 | Roman Gabriel | NC State |
| 1970 | John Brodie | Stanford |
| 1971 | Alan Page | ND |
| 1972 | Larry Brown | Kansas State |
| 1973 | O.J. Simpson | USC |
| 1974 | Ken Stabler | Alabama |
| 1975 | Fran Tarkenton | Georgia |
| 1976 | Bert Jones | LSU |
| 1977 | Walter Payton | Jackson State |
| 1978 | Terry Bradshaw | Louisiana Tech |
| 1979 | Earl Campbell | Texas |
| 1980 | Brian Sipe | San Diego State |
| 1981 | Ken Anderson | Augustana |
| 1982 | Mark Moseley | Texas A&M, Stephen F. Austin |
| 1983 | Joe Theismann | ND |
| 1984 | Dan Marino | Pittsburgh |
| 1985 | Marcus Allen | USC |
| 1986 | Lawrence Taylor | North Carolina |
| 1987 | John Elway | Stanford |
| 1988 | Boomer Esiason | Maryland |
| 1989 | Joe Montana | ND |
| 1990 | Joe Montana | ND |
| 1991 | Thurman Thomas | Oklahoma State |
| 1992 | Steve Young | BYU |
| 1993 | Emmitt Smith | Florida |
| 1994 | Steve Young | BYU |
| 1995 | Brett Favre | Southern Miss |
| 1996 | Brett Favre | Southern Miss |
| 1997 | Brett Favre | Southern Miss |
| 1997 | Barry Sanders | Oklahoma State |
| 1998 | Terrell Davis | Georgia |
| 1999 | Kurt Warner | Northern Iowa |
| 2000 | Marshall Faulk | San Diego State |
| 2001 | Kurt Warner | Northern Iowa |
| 2002 | Rich Gannon | Delaware |
| 2003 | Peyton Manning | Tennessee |
| 2003 | Steve McNair | Alcorn State |
| 2004 | Peyton Manning | Tennessee |
| 2005 | Shaun Alexander | Alabama |
| 2006 | LaDainian Tomlinson | TCU |
