NFL Defensive Player of the Year: Odds, winners, trophy, when is it awarded?

The Defensive Player of the Year award is the league's most highly-coveted award for defenders and the list of past winners is filled with legends.

Myles Garrett won the 2023 edition of the award with 14.0 sacks, four forced fumbles, three passes defended, 42 total tackles, 17 tackles for a loss, and 30 QB hits.

Past winners still in the league are Garrett, Nick Bosa, T.J. Watt, Khalil Mack, and Stephon Gilmore.

2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year favorites

Micah Parsons	+500
Maxx Crosby	+700
Myles Garrett	+700
Nick Bosa	+700
TJ Watt	+700
Aidan Hutchinson	+1400
Josh Allen	+1400
Chris Jones	+2800

Micah Parsons +500

Micah Parsons was the foundational piece of the fifth-best defense by points allowed in the 2023 NFL season. He led the team in sacks with 14.0, tackles for loss with 18, and QB hits with 33.

He also defended two passes and had one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. The versatile linebacker/edge rusher does a little bit of everything in every game, and he has never finished outside the top three in Defensive Player of the Year voting in his three-year career.

Maxx Crosby +700

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby has never missed a game in his NFL career, and he led the league in tackles for loss in each of the past two seasons. Plus, he has had at least 10 sacks in three of his five professional seasons.

Crosby finished fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season after posting 14.5 sacks, 90 total tackles, 23 tackles for loss, 31 QB hits, two passes defended and two forced fumbles.

Myles Garrett +700

The reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett absolutely dominated opposing offensive lines in the first half of the year before getting double-teamed regularly starting in Week 12.

Garrett posted 13 of his 14 sacks in the first 12 weeks of the season, including a 3.5-sack effort against the Tennessee Titans where he also forced a fumble. He had three games with four or more QB hits, and he forced two fumbles and had two sacks in a one-point Browns win over the Indianapolis Colts.

Nick Bosa +700

San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa's production took a step back from a league-leading 18.5 sacks and the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2022 to 10.5 sacks and a Pro Bowl berth in 2023. But, he was joined on the D-line by elite teammates in Javon Hargrave, Javon Kinlaw and a healthy Arik Armstead.

With a year next to better teammates under his belt, Bosa might feel ready to go back to posting even bigger sack totals like the 15.5 he had in 2021 or the 18.5 from 2022. Either way, he impacts a game on every play as he has 141 QB hits, 209 total tackles and eight passes defended in 68 career games.

T.J. Watt +700

Another edge rusher on this list, TJ Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers has led the league in sacks in three different seasons, and he has a Defensive Player of the Year Award to his name as well as being a four-time First Team All-Pro.

Watt led the NFL in sacks in 2023 with 19.0, along with four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, one fumble recovery returned for a touchdown, eight passes defended, and one interception. He has 96.5 career sacks in 104 career NFL games, and he also led the league in sacks with 15.0 in 2021 and 22.5 in 2022.

Read more: NFL Honors winners, awards, voting results & more

NFL Defensive Player of the Year past winners

Season	Name	Position	Team
2023	Myles Garrett	DE	Cleveland Browns
2022	Nick Bosa	DE	San Francisco 49ers
2021	TJ Watt	OLB	Pittsburgh Steelers
2020	Aaron Donald	DT	Los Angeles Rams
2019	Stephon Gilmore	CB	New England Patriots
2018	Aaron Donald	DT	Los Angeles Rams
2017	Aaron Donald	DT	Los Angeles Rams
2016	Khalil Mack	DE	Oakland Raiders
2015	JJ Watt	DE	Houston Texans
2014	JJ Watt	DE	Houston Texans
2013	Luke Keuchly	MLB	Carolina Panthers
2012	JJ Watt	DE	Houston Texans
2011	Terrell Suggs	OLB	Baltimore Ravens
2010	Troy Polamalu	S	Pittsburgh Steelers
2009	Charles Woodson	CB	Green Bay Packers
2008	James Harrison	OLB	Pittsburgh Steelers
2007	Bob Sanders	S	Indianapolis Colts
2006	Jason Taylor	DE	Miami Dolphins
2005	Brian Urlacher	MLB	Chicago Bears
2004	Ed Reed	S	Baltimore Ravens
2003	Ray Lewis	MLB	Baltimore Ravens
2002	Derrick Brooks	MLB	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2001	Michael Strahan	DE	New York Giants
2000	Ray Lewis	MLB	Baltimore Ravens
1999	Warren Sapp	DT	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1998	Reggie White	DE	Green Bay Packers
1997	Dana Stubblefield	DT	San Francisco 49ers
1996	Bruce Smith	DE	Buffalo Bills
1995	Bryce Paup	OLB	Buffalo Bills
1994	Deion Sanders	CB	San Francisco 49ers
1993	Rod Woodson	CB	Pittsburgh Steelers
1992	Cortez Kennedy	DT	Seattle Seahawks
1991	Pat Swilling	OLB	New Orleans Saints
1990	Bruce Smith	DE	Buffalo Bills
1989	Keith Millard	DT	Minnesota Vikings
1988	Mike Singletary	MLB	Chicago Bears
1987	Reggie White	DE	Philadelphia Eagles
1986	Lawrence Taylor	OLB	New York Giants
1985	Mike Singletary	MLB	Chicago Bears
1984	Kenny Easley	S	Seattle Seahawks
1983	Doug Betters	DE	Miami Dolphins
1982	Lawrence Taylor	OLB	New York Giants
1981	Lawrence Taylor	OLB	New York Giants
1980	Lester Hayes	CB	Oakland Raiders
1979	Lee Roy Selmon	DE	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1978	Randy Gradishar	MLB	Denver Broncos
1977	Harvey Martin	DE	Dallas Cowboys
1976	Jack Lambert	MLB	Pittsburgh Steelers
1975	Mel Blount	CB	Pittsburgh Steelers
1974	Joe Greene	DT	Pittsburgh Steelers
1973	Dick Anderson	S	Miami Dolphins
1972	Joe Greene	DT	Pittsburgh Steelers
1971	Alan Page	DT	Minnesota Vikings

NFL Defensive Player of the Year trophy

The NFL Defensive Player of the Year trophy features a bronze NFL logo attached to a pedestal. It is similar to the other trophies for awards announced at the NFL Honors ceremony.

NFL Defensive Player of the Year announcement

The NFL Defensive Player of the Year winner is announced at the NFL Honors ceremony, taking place on Thursday, February 8 at 9 PM ET.

NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting

A panel of 50 sports journalists affiliated with the Associated Press votes on the NFL end-of-season awards, including the Defensive Player of the Year. For Defensive Player of the Year, voters rank their first three choices which makes it easier for the AP to calculate second- and third-placed finishers in voting.

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