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

TJ Watt	+140
Will Anderson Jr.	+800
Chris Jones	+1000
Dexter Lawrence	+1100
Fred Warner	+1400
Nick Bosa	+1600
Maxx Crosby	+2000
Patrick Surtain II	+2500
Xavier McKinney	+2500
Myles Garrett	+3300

After Detroit Lions DE and NFL sack leader Aidan Hutchinson went down with a season-ending broken leg in Week 6 while he had 7.5 sacks on the season, Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher TJ Watt overtook him as the favorite to win the 2024 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award.

So far this season, Watt has 4.5 sacks, 19 solo tackles, 10 QB hits, three forced fumbles, one pass defended and one fumble recovery. His efforts on the edge have helped his team to allow the the third-lowest percentage of scoring drives while ranking in the top 10 in turnovers forced and points per drive allowed.

Second in the odds is Houston Texans DE and reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson Jr., who has 5.5 sacks, eight QB hits, one pass defended and a league-leading nine tackles for loss. He is just 1.5 sacks from matching the 7.0 sacks he posted last season as a rookie.

Kansas City Chiefs DT and two-time first-team All-Pro Chris Jones is third in the market with 3.0 sacks, three tackles for a loss, seven QB hits and one forced fumble. He's helped the Chiefs defense become elite against the run as the unit allows just 3.7 yards per carry.

New York Giants DT Dexter Lawrence is second in the league in sacks with 7.0, and he's fourth in the Defensive Player of the Year market. Lawrence also has 19 total tackles, five tackles for loss, 11 QB hits and a pass defended.

Fifth in the market is San Francisco 49ers middle linebacker Fred Warner, and he has the shortest odds of any non-pass rusher to win this award. Through six games, the three-time first-team All-Pro has 50 tackles, 1.0 sack, five passes defended, two interceptions, one pick-six, two tackles for loss and a league-best four forced fumbles.

Further back in the odds, between 16/1 and 33/1, are 49ers DE Nick Bosa, Las Vegas Raiders DE Maxx Crosby, Denver Broncos CB Patrick Surtian II, Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney, and Cleveland Browns DE and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett.

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.