Youngest NFL MVP winners: Where Drake Maye would rank among quickest players to win honor

One year ago, Drake Maye was coming off a solid but mostly unremarkable rookie season. He didn’t become the New England Patriots’ starter until a month into the 2024 campaign, and while Maye flashed stardom, he still had a long way to go, throwing 10 interceptions in 13 games.

Flash forward to January 2025, and Maye has emerged not just as one of the up-and-coming NFL quarterbacks, but as one of the best overall. He threw for 4,394 passing yards and 35 total touchdowns in 2025, leading the Patriots to a 14-3 record and cementing himself as arguably the best under-25 passer in the league.

Maye’s numbers were so spectacular that he vaulted to the top of the MVP conversation. It remains to be seen whether he’ll win the award, but having a shot at it in just his second NFL season is remarkable. Should Maye surpass Matthew Stafford in the final voting, he would join the list of the youngest MVPs in NFL history.

Here’s a look at where Maye would rank among the youngest players to win MVP.

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Who is the youngest NFL MVP?

The youngest player to ever win MVP in the NFL was Jim Brown, who, at the age of 21, took home the honors in the 1957 season for the Cleveland Browns.

Brown, a running back, was a rookie in 1957. He joined Cleveland with the sixth overall pick in the 1957 NFL Draft after a decorated Syracuse career and remained a superstar in the league. In just his ninth NFL game, Brown ran for 237 yards — a new single-game NFL record at the time and a rookie record that held for 40 years.

By running for 942 yards and nine touchdowns, adding in 55 yards and a touchdown through the air, Brown was honored as the MVP of the NFL as a rookie.

As impressive as his 1957 season was, Brown then topped it in 1958 by running for a new league record 1,527 rushing yards. He also led the NFL in touchdowns with 17, securing another MVP award — his second already at age 22.

Not only is Brown one of the few running backs to win MVP, but he's the only rookie and youngest player to ever win the award for his accomplishments in 1957.

The youngest quarterback to win MVP was Lamar Jackson at age 22, who took home the award in the 2019 season for the Baltimore Ravens

Here's the list of the eight youngest NFL MVP winners.

MORE: The 7 closest NFL MVP races ever

How old is Drake Maye?

Drake Maye is 23 years old. He will turn 24 on Aug. 30, 2026.

Should Maye win the 2025 NFL MVP award, he would join a list of three other 23-year-olds to win the award: Walter Payton in 1977, Dan Marino in 1984 and Patrick Mahomes in 2018. He wouldn't rival Jim Brown for the title of youngest MVP ever, nor Lamar Jackson for youngest MVP quarterback, but would still be among the youngest MVPs.

MORE: Co-MVPs? Inside the NFL's history of voting ties

NFL MVP winners

Here's a year-by-year list of every NFL MVP winner.

MORE: Does NFL All-Pro history predict the MVP winner?