NFL Championship MVP: Odds, past winners, trophy

The NFL Championship MVP award is one of the most respected, as it is granted to the best performer in the biggest game of the season.

Patrick Mahomes became the third player to win at least three NFL Championship MVP awards with the Kansas City Chiefs' win over the San Francisco 49ers in Nevada on February 11, 2024.

He could make it a fourth on February 9th, 2025, when the Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles.

Here is all you need to know about the award, including odds, past winners, trophy information, and more.

NFL Championship MVP favorites

Patrick Mahomes	+110
Saquon Barkley	+160
Jalen Hurts	+340
Travis Kelce	+1600
Xavier Worthy	+2500
AJ Brown	+3000
Chris Jones	+5500
DeVonta Smith	+5500
Kareem Hunt	+5500

Three-time NFL Championship MVP winner Patrick Mahomes is the +110 favorite to win the award yet again heading into the Kansas City Chiefs' championship matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Mahomes is 3-1 all-time in NFL Championship games.

In his first win, he completed 26/42 passes for 286 yards and three total TDs to two interceptions against the San Francisco 49ers. He completed 21/27 passes for 182 pass yards, 44 rush yards and three pass TDs against the Eagles two years ago. In his most recent title game appearance, also against the Niners, he completed 34/46 passes for 333 yards and a 2-1 TD-INT ratio.

Eagles RB Saquon Barkley is the second-favorite (+160) to win the NFL Championship MVP Award. The offseason addition has been Philly's star player all season long, and he enters the title decider coming off an NFC Championship game in which he rushed 15 times for 118 yards and three TDs.

Third in the odds is Philly QB Jalen Hurts (+340). Hurts tied for the all-time lead in TDs scored in a single title game in his only other appearance, which ended in a 38-35 loss to KC two seasons ago. He lost a fumble for a key scoop-and-score by the Chiefs early in that game, and he'll be motivated to get revenge this time around.

At a distant fourth in the odds is Chiefs TE Travis Kelce (+1600), who, like his QB, has also appeared in four editions of the big game. He has never had fewer than five receptions in those games, and he scored a TD in his team's 2019 season win over the 49ers and in the 2022 season win over the Eagles.

Chiefs rookie WR Xavier Worthy, who had arguably the best game of his brief NFL career in the AFC Championship victory over the Buffalo Bills, is fifth in the market (+2500). Worthy caught six passes for a career-high 85 yards and a score in that game, and his elite speed makes him a threat from anywhere on the field.

Eagles WR AJ Brown is sixth in the market at +3000, and he's the last player with odds shorter than 50/1 to win the award. Brown caught six passes for 96 yards and a score in the NFC Championship win, which was the exact same line he put up against the Chiefs at this stage two years ago.

Tied in the odds at +5500 are Chiefs DT Chris Jones, Eagles WR DeVonta Smith, and Chiefs RB Kareem Hunt. Further back in the odds, from 75/1 to 100/1, are Eagles DT Jalen Carter, Chiefs WR Marquise 'Hollywood' Brown, Eagles TE Dallas Goedert, Chiefs DE George Karlaftis and Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco.

Read more: Every non-QB to win NFL Championship MVP

NFL Championship MVP winners

Season	Player	Team	Position
2023	Patrick Mahomes	Kansas City Chiefs	Quarterback
2022	Patrick Mahomes	Kansas City Chiefs	Quarterback
2021	Cooper Kupp	Los Angeles Rams	Wide receiver
2020	Tom Brady	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Quarterback
2019	Patrick Mahomes	Kansas City Chiefs	Quarterback
2018	Julian Edelman	New England Patriots	Wide receiver
2017	Nick Foles	Philadelphia Eagles	Quarterback
2016	Tom Brady	New England Patriots	Quarterback
2015	Von Miller	Denver Broncos	Edge rusher
2014	Tom Brady	New England Patriots	Quarterback
2013	Malcolm Smith	Seattle Seahawks	Linebacker
2012	Joe Flacco	Baltimore Ravens	Quarterback
2011	Eli Manning	New York Giants	Quarterback
2010	Aaron Rodgers	Green Bay Packers	Quarterback
2009	Drew Brees	New Orleans Saints	Quarterback
2008	Santonio Holmes	Pittsburgh Steelers	Wide receiver
2007	Eli Manning	New York Giants	Quarterback
2006	Peyton Manning	Indianapolis Colts	Quarterback
2005	Hines Ward	Pittsburgh Steelers	Wide receiver
2004	Deion Branch	New England Patriots	Wide receiver
2003	Tom Brady	New England Patriots	Quarterback
2002	Dexter Jackson	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Safety
2001	Tom Brady	New England Patriots	Quarterback
2000	Ray Lewis	Baltimore Ravens	Linebacker
1999	Kurt Warner	St. Louis Rams	Quarterback
1998	John Elway	Denver Broncos	Quarterback
1997	Terrell Davis	Denver Broncos	Running back
1996	Desmond Howard	Green Bay Packers	Kick/punt returner
1995	Larry Brown	Dallas Cowboys	Cornerback
1994	Steve Young	San Francisco 49ers	Quarterback
1993	Emmitt Smith	Dallas Cowboys	Running back
1992	Troy Aikman	Dallas Cowboys	Quarterback
1991	Mark Rypien	Washington Redskins	Quarterback
1990	Ottis Anderson	New York Giants	Running back
1989	Joe Montana	San Francisco 49ers	Quarterback
1988	Jerry Rice	San Francisco 49ers	Wide receiver
1987	Doug Williams	Washington Redskins	Quarterback
1986	Phil Simms	New York Giants	Quarterback
1985	Richard Dent	Chicago Bears	Defensive end
1984	Joe Montana	San Francisco 49ers	Quarterback
1983	Marcus Allen	Los Angeles Raiders	Running back
1982	John Riggins	Washington Redskins	Running back
1981	Joe Montana	San Francisco 49ers	Quarterback
1980	Jim Plunkett	Oakland Raiders	Quarterback
1979	Terry Bradshaw	Pittsburgh Steelers	Quarterback
1978	Terry Bradshaw	Pittsburgh Steelers	Quarterback
1977	Randy White, Harvey Martin	Dallas Cowboys	Defensive linemen
1976	Fred Biletnikoff	Oakland Raiders	Wide receiver
1975	Lynn Swann	Pittsburgh Steelers	Wide receiver
1974	Franco Harris	Pittsburgh Steelers	Running back
1973	Larry Csonka	Miami Dolphins	Running back
1972	Jake Scott	Miami Dolphins	Safety
1971	Roger Staubach	Dallas Cowboys	Quarterback
1970	Chuck Howley	Dallas Cowboys	Linebacker
1969	Len Dawson	Kansas City Chiefs	Quarterback
1968	Joe Namath	New York Jets	Quarterback
1967	Bart Starr	Green Bay Packers	Quarterback
1966	Bart Starr	Green Bay Packers	Quarterback

Players with most NFL Championship MVP Awards

Tom Brady has the most NFL Championship MVP Awards in NFL history with five. He is followed by Joe Montana with three.

The only other players to win the award multiple times are Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw, Eli Manning, and Patrick Mahomes. Each player to win the award multiple times is a quarterback.

NFL Championship MVP announcement

The NFL Championship MVP winner is announced minutes after the conclusion of the NFL Championship as part of the trophy presentation ceremony.

NFL Championship MVP voters

A panel of 16 football writers and broadcasters vote for the NFL Championship MVP. Since 2001, fans have been allowed to vote electronically. The media panel's votes count for 80 percent of the weighted tally while fan votes account for 20 percent.

NFL Championship MVP winners on losing team

Just one player in NFL history has won the NFL Championship MVP Award while on the losing team. Dallas Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howley earned that honor in the fifth NFL Championship game at the end of the 1970 season when Dallas lost to the Baltimore Colts 16-13 in overtime.

Howley intercepted two passes from the Colts eventual Hall of Fame QB Johnny Unitas to win the award.

NFL Championship MVP trophy

The NFL Championship trophy is shaped like a football. It is called the Pete Rozelle Trophy, named for the man who served as NFL commissioner from 1960-1989.

Odds mentioned in this article were correct at the time of writing and are subject to change.