Becoming a professional football player in the NFL is a dream come true for every college aspirant. Out of over 70,000 players who play college football every year, less than a thousand make it to the NFL. Even out of those select few players who do make it to the big league, there is tremendous competition for getting the chance to feature in the game. As a result of which NFL rookies have a huge incentive to perform to the best of their abilities the moment they step foot on the field.
On the offense, rookies who play the positions of quarterback, running back, or wide receiver have the best chance at winning this award, while on the defense, the award is generally up for grabs at any position. Sadly this is the case since on offense, these three positions are considered the most important ones and also boast of great stats that are showcased. Whereas on the defense, a player from any position can be equally effective.
Rookies in the NFL get two separate awards, one goes to the Offensive Rookie of the Year and the other to the Defensive Rookie of the Year. Many organizations are awarding NFL rookies these awards but the NFL honors consider the awards presented by the Associated Press (AP) as the official ones.
List of AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year winners
| Season | Player | Team | Position |
| 1967 | Mel Farr | Detroit Lions | Running back |
| 1968 | Earl McCullouch | Detroit Lions | Wide receiver |
| 1969 | Calvin Hill | Dallas Cowboys | Running back |
| 1970 | Dennis Shaw | Buffalo Bills | Quarterback |
| 1971 | John Brockington | Green Bay Packers | Running back |
| 1972 | Franco Harris | Pittsburgh Steelers | Running back |
| 1973 | Chuck Foreman | Minnesota Vikings | Running back |
| 1974 | Don Woods | San Diego Chargers | Running back |
| 1975 | Mike Thomas | Washington Redskins | Running back |
| 1976 | Sammy White | Minnesota Vikings | Wide receiver |
| 1977 | Tony Dorsett | Dallas Cowboys | Running back |
| 1978 | Earl Campbell | Houston Oilers | Running back |
| 1979 | Ottis Anderson | St. Louis Cardinals | Running back |
| 1980 | Billy Sims | Detroit Lions | Running back |
| 1981 | George Rogers | New Orleans Saints | Running back |
| 1982 | Marcus Allen | Los Angeles Raiders | Running back |
| 1983 | Eric Dickerson | Los Angeles Rams | Running back |
| 1984 | Louis Lipps | Pittsburgh Steelers | Wide receiver |
| 1985 | Eddie Brown | Cincinnati Bengals | Wide receiver |
| 1986 | Rueben Mayes | New Orleans Saints | Running back |
| 1987 | Troy Stradford | Miami Dolphins | Running back |
| 1988 | John Stephens | New England Patriots | Running back |
| 1989 | Barry Sanders | Detroit Lions | Running back |
| 1990 | Emmitt Smith | Dallas Cowboys | Running back |
| 1991 | Leonard Russell | New England Patriots | Running back |
| 1992 | Carl Pickens | Cincinnati Bengals | Wide receiver |
| 1993 | Jerome Bettis | Los Angeles Rams | Running back |
| 1994 | Marshall Faulk | Indianapolis Colts | Running back |
| 1995 | Curtis Martin | New England Patriots | Running back |
| 1996 | Eddie George | Houston Oilers | Running back |
| 1997 | Warrick Dunn | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Running back |
| 1998 | Randy Moss | Minnesota Vikings | Wide receiver |
| 1999 | Edgerrin James | Indianapolis Colts | Running back |
| 2000 | Mike Anderson | Denver Broncos | Running back |
| 2001 | Anthony Thomas | Chicago Bears | Running back |
| 2002 | Clinton Portis | Denver Broncos | Running back |
| 2003 | Anquan Boldin | Arizona Cardinals | Wide receiver |
| 2004 | Ben Roethlisberger | Pittsburgh Steelers | Quarterback |
| 2005 | Cadillac Williams | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Running back |
| 2006 | Vince Young | Tennessee Titans | Quarterback |
| 2007 | Adrian Peterson | Minnesota Vikings | Running back |
| 2008 | Matt Ryan | Atlanta Falcons | Quarterback |
| 2009 | Percy Harvin | Minnesota Vikings | Wide receiver |
| 2010 | Sam Bradford | St. Louis Rams | Quarterback |
| 2011 | Cam Newton | Carolina Panthers | Quarterback |
| 2012 | Robert Griffin III | Washington Redskins | Quarterback |
| 2013 | Eddie Lacy | Green Bay Packers | Running back |
| 2014 | Odell Beckham Jr. | New York Giants | Wide receiver |
| 2015 | Todd Gurley | St. Louis Rams | Running back |
| 2016 | Dak Prescott | Dallas Cowboys | Quarterback |
| 2017 | Alvin Kamara | New Orleans Saints | Running back |
| 2018 | Saquon Barkley | New York Giants | Running back |
| 2019 | Kyler Murray | Arizona Cardinals | Quarterback |
| 2020 | Justin Herbert | Los Angeles Chargers | Quarterback |
| 2021 | Ja'Marr Chase | Cincinnati Bengals | Wide receiver |
| 2022 | Garrett Wilson | New York Jets | Wide receiver |
| 2023 | C.J. Stroud | Houston Texans | Quarterback |
List of AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year winners
| Season | Player | Team | Position |
| 1967 | Lem Barney | Detroit Lions | Cornerback |
| 1968 | Claude Humphrey | Atlanta Falcons | Defensive end |
| 1969 | Joe Greene | Pittsburgh Steelers | Defensive tackle |
| 1970 | Bruce Taylor | San Francisco 49ers | Cornerback |
| 1971 | Isiah Robertson | Los Angeles Rams | Linebacker |
| 1972 | Willie Buchanon | Green Bay Packers | Cornerback |
| 1973 | Wally Chambers | Chicago Bears | Defensive tackle |
| 1974 | Jack Lambert | Pittsburgh Steelers | Linebacker |
| 1975 | Robert Brazile | Houston Oilers | Linebacker |
| 1976 | Mike Haynes | New England Patriots | Cornerback |
| 1977 | A. J. Duhe | Miami Dolphins | Defensive end |
| 1978 | Al Baker | Detroit Lions | Defensive end |
| 1979 | Jim Haslett | Buffalo Bills | Linebacker |
| 1980 | Buddy Curry co-winner | Atlanta Falcons | Linebacker |
| Al Richardson co-winner | |||
| 1981 | Lawrence Taylor | New York Giants | Linebacker |
| 1982 | Chip Banks | Cleveland Browns | Linebacker |
| 1983 | Vernon Maxwell | Baltimore Colts | Linebacker |
| 1984 | Bill Maas | Kansas City Chiefs | Defensive tackle |
| 1985 | Duane Bickett | Indianapolis Colts | Linebacker |
| 1986 | Leslie O'Neal | San Diego Chargers | Defensive end |
| 1987 | Shane Conlan | Buffalo Bills | Linebacker |
| 1988 | Erik McMillan | New York Jets | Safety |
| 1989 | Derrick Thomas | Kansas City Chiefs | Linebacker |
| 1990 | Mark Carrier | Chicago Bears | Safety |
| 1991 | Mike Croel | Denver Broncos | Linebacker |
| 1992 | Dale Carter | Kansas City Chiefs | Cornerback |
| 1993 | Dana Stubblefield | San Francisco 49ers | Defensive tackle |
| 1994 | Tim Bowens | Miami Dolphins | Defensive tackle |
| 1995 | Hugh Douglas | New York Jets | Defensive end |
| 1996 | Simeon Rice | Arizona Cardinals | Defensive end |
| 1997 | Peter Boulware | Baltimore Ravens | Linebacker |
| 1998 | Charles Woodson | Oakland Raiders | Cornerback |
| 1999 | Jevon Kearse | Tennessee Titans | Defensive end |
| 2000 | Brian Urlacher | Chicago Bears | Linebacker |
| 2001 | Kendrell Bell | Pittsburgh Steelers | Linebacker |
| 2002 | Julius Peppers | Carolina Panthers | Defensive end |
| 2003 | Terrell Suggs | Baltimore Ravens | Linebacker |
| 2004 | Jonathan Vilma | New York Jets | Linebacker |
| 2005 | Shawne Merriman | San Diego Chargers | Linebacker |
| 2006 | DeMeco Ryans | Houston Texans | Linebacker |
| 2007 | Patrick Willis | San Francisco 49ers | Linebacker |
| 2008 | Jerod Mayo | New England Patriots | Linebacker |
| 2009 | Brian Cushing | Houston Texans | Linebacker |
| 2010 | Ndamukong Suh | Detroit Lions | Defensive tackle |
| 2011 | Von Miller | Denver Broncos | Linebacker |
| 2012 | Luke Kuechly | Carolina Panthers | Linebacker |
| 2013 | Sheldon Richardson | New York Jets | Defensive end |
| 2014 | Aaron Donald | St. Louis Rams | Defensive tackle |
| 2015 | Marcus Peters | Kansas City Chiefs | Cornerback |
| 2016 | Joey Bosa | San Diego Chargers | Defensive end |
| 2017 | Marshon Lattimore | New Orleans Saints | Cornerback |
| 2018 | Shaquille Leonard | Indianapolis Colts | Linebacker |
| 2019 | Nick Bosa | San Francisco 49ers | Defensive end |
| 2020 | Chase Young | Washington Football Team | Defensive end |
| 2021 | Micah Parsons | Dallas Cowboys | Linebacker |
| 2022 | Sauce Gardner | New York Jets | Cornerback |
| 2023 | Will Anderson Jr. | Houston Texans | Defensive end |
FAQs
A. The first Offensive Rookie of the Year award was won by Mel Farr, running back for the Detroit Lions in 1967.
A. Lem Barney, the cornerback for the Detroit Lions won the first Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
A. Erik McMillan and Mark Carrier are the only two safeties to have won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
A. A tight end has never won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
