The Joe F. Carr Trophy was the first award given in the National Football League (NFL) to recognize a most valuable player for each season. It was first awarded in 1938, known then as the Gruen Trophy,[1] and renamed in 1939 in honor of NFL commissioner Joseph Carr.[2][3] The Gruen Trophy, sponsored by Gruen Watch Co., was first awarded in 1937 to Dutch Clark of the Detroit Lions. However, both contemporary[4][5] and modern[6] sources consider the 1938 award the first retroactive Joe F. Carr Trophy, and thus the first NFL MVP award. Players were chosen by a panel of sportswriters who distributed first and second place votes. It was awarded until the 1946 season, and it remains the only MVP award the NFL has officially sanctioned.[7]
| Season | Player | Team | Position | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938 | Mel Hein | New York Giants | C, LB | [1] |
| 1939 | Parker Hall | Cleveland Rams | QB, HB | [3] |
| 1940 | Ace Parker | Brooklyn Dodgers | QB, HB | [8] |
| 1941 | Don Hutson | Green Bay Packers | End | [4] |
| 1942 | Don Hutson (2) | Green Bay Packers | End | [9] |
| 1943 | Sid Luckman | Chicago Bears | QB | [10] |
| 1944 | Frank Sinkwich | Detroit Lions | HB | [11] |
| 1945 | Bob Waterfield | Cleveland Rams | QB | [5] |
| 1946 | Bill Dudley | Pittsburgh Steelers | HB | [12] |
- ^ a b "Mel Hein Voted Most Valuable". The Spokesman-Review. January 18, 1940. p. 13. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
- ^ "Storck Named President". The Pittsburgh Press. July 23, 1939. p. 16. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
- ^ a b "Parker Hall Named Valuable Player". The Daily Times. January 18, 1940. p. 13. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
- ^ a b "Don Hutson Voted Most Valuable Pro". The Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. February 12, 1942. p. 4. Retrieved June 13, 2016.
- ^ a b "Waterfield Named Most Valuable Gridiron Player". Prescott Evening Courier. Associated Press. January 4, 1946. p. 5. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
- ^ "Joe F. Carr Trophy (MVP) Winners". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved June 15, 2016.
- ^ Turney, John (February 21, 2015). "Dutch Clark's Missing 1937 MVP Award". nflfootballjournal.com. Pro Football Journal. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
- ^ "Ace Parker, Brooklyn, Voted 'Most Valuable'". The Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. January 18, 1941. p. 7. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
- ^ "Don Hutson Named Most Valuable Pro". The Milwaukee Journal. United Press. January 28, 1943. p. 10. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
- ^ "Sid Luckman Gets Grid Trophy". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. September 2, 1944. p. 3. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
- ^ "Sinkwich Voted Most Valuable". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. April 3, 1945. p. 15. Retrieved June 22, 2016.
- ^ "Bill Dudley Gets Trophy Sunday". The Pittsburgh Press. United Press. October 9, 1947. p. 40. Retrieved June 22, 2016.