Earl Morrall in 1968-Baltimore Colts

[JohnH19]

I'm leaning towards the theory that those trophies were awarded retroactively.

It is the only thing that makes sense. And maybe it was not a big enough story for
the wires (AP, UPI, NEA) to run with the story...(column space?, a big sports day?)
not a big enough deal to move the needle.

Glad you found this-I learned a lot.

I have always read that Lamonica was MVP in 1969.

[JohnTurney]

Namath may have been announced as the winner in early '69 for his play in '68. It's kind of like winning a 2022 Emmy even when the winners are announced several months into 2023. This award stuff can get pretty confusing at times. I can see where Namath would be mistakingly listed as the 1969 MVP by some writers/publications.

[Retro Rider]

I have always read that Lamonica was MVP in 1969.

The AP would annually print their list of NFL MVP's in the newspaper but that list never included their AFL selections from 1960-1969, only NFL winners.

The first time I remember seeing a list of AP AFL MVP's was when I purchased a copy of The Pro Football Encyclopedia in the late '90's. Later I picked up a copy of Total Football II which also included the AP's AFL award winners. I just dug out both books and got split results:

The Pro Football Encyclopedia - Daryle Lamonica 1969 AP AFL MVP

Total Football II - Joe Namath 1969 AP AFL MVP

Props to Tod Maher & Bob Gill for getting it right. I'm guilty of using Wikipedia for quick answers. They had Namath as the '69 AP winner for years but have since corrected the error. Ditto for Pro Football Reference.com.

[Bob Gill]

Some group or other did choose Namath as the AFL MVP for the 1969 season. I've seen it reported in more than one paper from the time, but I don't think I've seen anything that says exactly who made the selection. I'm sure it was reported in the New York Times in December 1969 or January 1970, if anybody wants to check. Maybe you can figure it out.

[Retro Rider]

Some group or other did choose Namath as the AFL MVP for the 1969 season. I've seen it reported in more than one paper from the time, but I don't think I've seen anything that says exactly who made the selection. I'm sure it was reported in the New York Times in December 1969 or January 1970, if anybody wants to check. Maybe you can figure it out.

According to the chart that John Turney provided, it was NEA. They had Namath as their first team all-AFL QB as well.

[Bob Gill]

According to the chart that John Turney provided, it was NEA. They had Namath as their first team all-AFL QB as well.

Oh, I see. I guess I should've given the chart a closer look.

[JohnTurney]

The AP would annually print their list of NFL MVP's in the newspaper

For a long time, they listed Gino Marchetti as the 1958 MVP...he was their "lineman of the year"
they listed Conerly not Unitas as the 1959 MVP (Conerly was the NEA MVP)
They also had co-MVPs for 1960--the AP didn't have awards in 1960

Also, when this was pointed out the AP began to reject the pre-1961 awards as "non-MVPs"
because they were "Player of the Year" awards.

In 1961 Hornung was first AP MVP
but in 1962 AP reverted to Player of the Year Award
then in 1963 they went back to and stuck with MVP.

My opinion, other may disagree is that the UPO Player of the Year are MVP awards
as are the pre-1961 and the 1961 AP POY awards

Only the NEA used MVP until they went defunct---they started in 1955

UPI had a POY with Graham and others winning . . .
these days some are too particular as to the word "valuable" meaning metrics
as such only a quarterback can win it from now on...since
even an average QB has more "value" than even a 2,000-yard, 15 TD
running back.

And a WR need not qualify for MVP...

I think a RB, or a WR, or a defender (Page, LT) should be considered.
I think voters can use metrics if they want but also other criteria
if they want. If they think a RB is the MVP or best player or whatever
they want then vote for him.

I think the valuable was more of a thing is baseball when guys
like Fox and Groat and others were winning it over guys like Mays, Mantle
Aaron, etc...guys who were better player but not as "valuable" to a
winning team.

Baseball is like that or WAS like that. Metrics seem to have taken over there
far more than football.

[Retro Rider]

For a long time, they listed Gino Marchetti as the 1958 MVP...he was their "lineman of the year"
they listed Conerly not Unitas as the 1959 MVP (Conerly was the NEA MVP)
They also had co-MVPs for 1960--the AP didn't have awards in 1960

That was some great detective work, I remember reading about it. Another example appears to be Paul Lowe in 1965. Pro Football Reference.com and Pro Football Archives have him winning the UPI AFL POY that season:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... -award.htm

https://www.profootballarchives.com/1965awards.html

However, the voting totals supplied by PFR show Jack Kemp winning the 1965 UPI POY over Lowe & Lance Alworth, 9 votes to 4:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... s_1965.htm
Update:Pro Football Reference.com has since made the correction and now credit Kemp with the 1965 UPI POY and not Paul Lowe.

PFJ and Wikipedia have Kemp winning both AP & UPI. This might be similar to the AP MVP/POY situation where there were mistakes in the list provided to newspapers. For years I thought Lowe was the UPI (and TSN) winner in '65, with Kemp getting the AP vote only.

"Lowe’s best season came in 1965 when he rushed for 1,121 yards (14-game schedule) and was named the UPI and Sporting News American Football League MVP.

Presented here is the painting Paul Lowe received as his award for winning the AFL MVP in 1965. Paul received this painting and a convertible Plymouth for winning the AFL MVP, but the underfunded AFL required that he return the “loaned” Plymouth after about a year.

https://catalog.scpauctions.com/PAUL_LO ... 37670.aspx

[JohnTurney]

That was some great detective work, I remember reading about it. Another example appears to be Paul Lowe in 1965. Pro Football Reference.com and Pro Football Archives have him winning the UPI AFL POY that season:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... -award.htm

https://www.profootballarchives.com/1965awards.html

However, the voting totals supplied by PFR show Jack Kemp winning the 1965 UPI POY over Lowe & Lance Alworth, 9 votes to 4:

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/ ... s_1965.htm

PFJ and Wikipedia have Kemp winning both AP & UPI. This might be similar to the AP MVP/POY situation where there were mistakes in the list provided to newspapers. For years I thought Lowe was the UPI (and TSN) winner in '65, with Kemp getting the AP vote only.

15 to 20 years ago I fixed a lot of the Wikipedia errors...they still mention the "Discrepancies" even though
the 1958, 1959 and 1960 are not really discrepancies...AP just kept sending out wrong information
year-after-year.

Anyway, the Jack Kemp/Paul Lowe was fixed then as well. I also added a lot
of new articles about DC TD Club, and Columbus TD Club and also added to
a lot of profiles of NFL players at the time..getting into some edit wars
which is always fun.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Associate ... ayer_Award

[Retro Rider]

15 to 20 years ago I fixed a lot of the Wikipedia errors...they still mention the "Discrepancies" even though
the 1958, 1959 and 1960 are not really discrepancies...AP just kept sending out wrong information
year-after-year.

Anyway, the Jack Kemp/Paul Lowe was fixed then as well. I also added a lot
of new articles about DC TD Club, and Columbus TD Club and also added to
a lot of profiles of NFL players at the time..getting into some edit wars
which is always fun.

Thanks again for your efforts in getting that information corrected. Also, is there a comprehensive list of NFL Championship game MVP's? Wikipedia lists the AFL winners from 1960-1969 but I can't find anything on the NFL. Thanks for any information. I vaguely remember reading about Bart Starr winning it in 1966 vs. Dallas.

AFL Championship Game MVP's
1960 Billy Cannon (Houston)
1961 Billy Cannon (Houston)
1962 Jack Spikes (Dallas)
1963 Keith Lincoln (San Diego)
1964 Jack Kemp (Buffalo)
1965 Jack Kemp (Buffalo)
1966 Len Dawson (Kansas City)
1967 Daryle Lamonica (Oakland)
1968 Joe Namath (New York)
1969 Otis Taylor (Kansas City)