View source for UPI AFL-AFC Player of the Year

From 1960 to 1969, the [[United Press International]] (UPI) gave the annual '''AFL Player of the Year''' award in the [[American Football League]], whose teams in 1970 became the [[American Football Conference]] (AFC) of the new [[National Football League]] (NFL).
From 1970 — following the [[AFL–NFL merger]] — until 1996, UPI then gave two annual player of the year awards. One was given in the [[National Football Conference]] (NFC) of the new NFL. The other award was given in the [[American Football Conference]] (AFC) of the new NFL. An AFC Player of the Year was named from 1970 through 1984, won each year be an offensive player. An '''AFC Defensive Player of the Year''' was named from 1975 to 1996, and an '''AFC Offensive Player of the Year''', which replaced the overall player of the year award in 1985, was issued until 1996.<ref name=carroll>{{cite book|title=Total Football II: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League|first=Bob|last=Carroll|year=1999|publisher=HarperCollins Publishers|url=https://archive.org/details/totalfootballoff0000unse/page/387/mode/1up|url-access=registration|isbn=9780062701749|pages=387–389|access-date=June 6, 2022|via=Internet Archive|ref=carroll1999}}</ref>
==Winners==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! rowspan=2|Season
! colspan=3|Offense<ref name=carroll/> !! colspan=3|Defense<ref>[[#carroll1999|Carroll 1999]], p. 389.</ref>
|-
! Player !! Team !! Position !! Player !! Team !! Position
|-
|[[1960 American Football League season|1960]] || [[Abner Haynes]] || Dallas Texans || Halfback || - || - || -
|-
|[[1961 American Football League season|1961]] || [[George Blanda]] (1) || Houston Oilers || Quarterback || - || - || -
|-
|[[1962 American Football League season|1962]] || [[Cookie Gilchrist]] || Buffalo Bills || Fullback || - || - || -
|-
|[[1963 American Football League season|1963]] || [[Lance Alworth]] || San Diego Chargers || Flanker || - || - || -
|-
|[[1964 American Football League season|1964]] || [[Gino Cappelletti]] || Boston Patriots || Flanker, kicker || - || - || -
|-
|[[1965 American Football League season|1965]] || [[Jack Kemp]] || Buffalo Bills || Quarterback || - || - || -
|-
|[[1966 American Football League season|1966]] || [[Jim Nance]] || Boston Patriots || Fullback || - || - || -
|-
|[[1967 American Football League season|1967]] || [[Daryle Lamonica]] (1) || Oakland Raiders || Quarterback || - || - || -
|-
|[[1968 American Football League season|1968]] || [[Joe Namath]] || New York Jets || Quarterback || - || - || -
|-
|[[1969 American Football League season|1969]] || [[Daryle Lamonica]] (2) || Oakland Raiders || Quarterback || - || - || -
|-
|1970|| [[George Blanda]] (2) || Oakland Raiders || Quarterback, kicker  || - || - || -
|-
|1971|| [[Otis Taylor (American football)|Otis Taylor]]|| Kansas City Chiefs|| Wide receiver || - || - || -
|-
|1972|| [[O. J. Simpson]] (1) || Buffalo Bills|| Running back || - || - || -
|-
|1973|| [[O. J. Simpson]] (2) || Buffalo Bills|| Running back || - || - || -
|-
|1974|| [[Ken Stabler]]|| Oakland Raiders|| Quarterback || - || - || -
|-
|1975|| [[O. J. Simpson]] (3) || Buffalo Bills|| Running back
| [[Mel Blount]]|| Pittsburgh Steelers|| Cornerback
|-
|1976|| [[Bert Jones]]|| Baltimore Colts|| Quarterback
| [[Jack Lambert (American football)|Jack Lambert]] (1) || Pittsburgh Steelers|| Linebacker
|-
|1977|| [[Craig Morton]]|| Denver Broncos|| Quarterback
| [[Lyle Alzado]]|| Denver Broncos|| Defensive end
|-
|1978|| [[Earl Campbell]]<ref>{{cite news|title=Earl Campbell Collects AFC Player Of Year Crown|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/9684920/earl_campbell_collects_afc_player_of/|access-date=March 20, 2017|work=The Galveston Daily News|agency=United Press International|date=December 29, 1978|page=11|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> || Houston Oilers || Running back
| [[Randy Gradishar]] || Denver Broncos|| Linebacker
|-
|1979|| [[Dan Fouts]] (1) || San Diego Chargers|| Quarterback
| [[Jack Lambert (American football)|Jack Lambert]] (2)<ref>{{cite news|title=Jack Lambert best defensively in AFC|date=January 9, 1980|newspaper=The Berkshire Eagle|page=25|agency=UPI|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103364139/|access-date=June 8, 2022|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> || Pittsburgh Steelers|| Linbebacker
|-
|1980|| [[Brian Sipe]]|| Cleveland Browns|| Quarterback
| [[Lester Hayes]]|| Oakland Raiders|| Cornerback
|-
|1981|| [[Ken Anderson (quarterback)|Ken Anderson]]|| Cincinnati Bengals|| Quarterback
| [[Joe Klecko]]|| New York Jets|| Defensive end
|-
|1982|| [[Dan Fouts]] (2) || San Diego Chargers|| Quarterback
| ''No award'' || - || -
|-
|1983|| [[Curt Warner]] (1) || Seattle Seahawks|| Running back
| [[Rod Martin]]<ref>{{cite news|first=Dave|last=Raffo|title=Taylor, Martin Top Defensive Players|date=January 6, 1984|newspaper=The Brattleboro Reformer|page=11|agency=UPI|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103364386/|access-date=June 8, 2022|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>|| Los Angeles Raiders|| Linebacker
|-
|1984|| [[Dan Marino]] (1) ||Miami Dolphins|| Quarterback
| [[Mark Gastineau]]<ref>{{cite news|first=Joel|last=Sherman|title=Gastineau earns another honor for play|date=December 28, 1984|newspaper=Telegraph-Forum|page=11|agency=UPI|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/103364246/|access-date=June 8, 2022|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>|| New York Jets|| Defensive end
|-
|1985|| [[Marcus Allen]]|| Los Angeles Raiders|| Running back
| [[Andre Tippett]]|| New England Patriots|| Linebacker
|-
|1986|| [[Curt Warner]] (2) || Seattle Seahawks|| Running back
| [[Rulon Jones]]|| Denver Broncos|| Defensive end
|-
|1987|| [[John Elway]] (1) || Denver Broncos|| Quarterback
| [[Bruce Smith (defensive end)|Bruce Smith]] (1) || Buffalo Bills|| Defensive end
|-
|1988|| [[Boomer Esiason]]|| Cincinnati Bengals|| Quarterback
| [[Bruce Smith (defensive end)|Bruce Smith]] (2) (tie) <br> [[Cornelius Bennett]] (1) (tie) || Buffalo Bills|| Defensive end <br> Linebacker
|-
|1989|| [[Christian Okoye]]|| Kansas City Chiefs|| Running back
| [[Michael Dean Perry]]|| Cleveland Browns|| Nose tackle
|-
|1990|| [[Warren Moon]]|| Houston Oilers|| Quarterback
| [[Bruce Smith (defensive end)|Bruce Smith]] (3) || Buffalo Bills|| Defensive end
|-
|1991|| [[Thurman Thomas]]|| Buffalo Bills|| Running back
| [[Cornelius Bennett]] (2) || Buffalo Bills|| Linebacker
|-
|1992|| [[Barry Foster (American football)|Barry Foster]]|| Pittsburgh Steelers|| Running back
| [[Junior Seau]]|| San Diego Chargers|| Linebacker
|-
|1993|| [[John Elway]] (2) || Denver Broncos|| Quarterback
| [[Rod Woodson]]|| Pittsburgh Steelers|| Cornerback
|-
|1994|| [[Dan Marino]] (2) || Miami Dolphins|| Quarterback
| [[Greg Lloyd, Sr.|Greg Lloyd]]|| Pittsburgh Steelers|| Linebacker
|-
|1995||[[Jim Harbaugh]]|| Indianapolis Colts|| Quarterback
| [[Bryce Paup]]|| Buffalo Bills|| Linebacker
|-
|1996|| [[Terrell Davis]]|| Denver Broncos|| Running back
| [[Bruce Smith (defensive end)|Bruce Smith]] (4) || Buffalo Bills|| Defensive end
|}
==Multiple-time winners==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; margin-left:1em"
|+ '''Total awards won'''
!width="55" | Wins
!align="center" width="145" | Team
|-
|13
|[[Buffalo Bills]]
|-
|rowspan=2|7
|[[Denver Broncos]]
|-
|[[Oakland Raiders|Oakland /]] [[Los Angeles Raiders]]
|-
|6
|[[Pittsburgh Steelers]]
|-
|4
|[[Los Angeles Chargers|Los Angeles]] / [[San Diego Chargers]]
|-
|rowspan=5|3
|[[New England Patriots|Boston / New England Patriots]]
|-
|[[Cleveland Browns]]
|-
|[[Houston Oilers]]
|-
|[[Kansas City Chiefs|Dallas Texans / Kansas City Chiefs]]
|-
|[[New York Jets]]
|-
|rowspan=4|2
| [[Baltimore Colts|Baltimore /]] [[Indianapolis Colts]]
|-
| [[Cincinnati Bengals]]
|-
| [[Miami Dolphins]]
|-
| [[Seattle Seahawks]]
|}
==See also==
*[[UPI NFC Player of the Year]]
*[[United Press International NFL Most Valuable Player Award]]
*[[American Football League Most Valuable Player Award]]
*[[National Football League Most Valuable Player Award]]
*[[NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award]]
*[[NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award]]
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
{{NFL awards}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Upi Afl-Afc Player Of The Year}}
[[Category:National Football League trophies and awards]]
[[Category:1960 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:1996 disestablishments in the United States]]