The AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) is an annual award presented by the Associated Press (AP) to the defensive player in the National Football League (NFL) deemed to have had the most outstanding season. It has been awarded since 1971. The winner is decided by votes from a panel of 50 AP sportswriters. Since 2011, the award has been presented at the annual NFL Honors ceremony the day before the Super Bowl, along with other AP awards, such as the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year award, AP NFL Most Valuable Player award, and AP NFL Rookie of the Year award. The most recent winner is defensive end Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns.
Lawrence Taylor, J. J. Watt, and Aaron Donald are the only three-time winners of the award. Joe Greene, Mike Singletary, Bruce Smith, Reggie White, Ray Lewis and Myles Garrett have each won it twice. Taylor is the only player to win the award as a rookie, doing so in 1981. In 2008, James Harrison became the only undrafted free agent to win the award. White is the only player to win the award with two different teams, winning in 1987 with the Philadelphia Eagles and again with the Green Bay Packers in 1998.
Winners
thumb|350px|[[Ray Lewis (No. 52) and Terrell Suggs (No. 55) each won the award playing for the Baltimore Ravens.]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Season !! Player !! Position !! Team !!
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Alan Page ||align="center"|DT || Minnesota ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Joe Greene||align="center"|DT || Pittsburgh ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Dick Anderson ||align="center"|S || Miami ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Joe Greene||align="center"|DT || Pittsburgh ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Mel Blount ||align="center"|CB || Pittsburgh ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Jack Lambert ||align="center"|LB || Pittsburgh ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Harvey Martin ||align="center"|DE || Dallas ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Randy Gradishar ||align="center"|LB || Denver ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Lee Roy Selmon ||align="center"|DE || Tampa Bay ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Lester Hayes || align="center"|CB || Oakland ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Lawrence Taylor ||align="center"|LB || NY Giants ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Lawrence Taylor ||align="center"|LB || NY Giants ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Doug Betters ||align="center"|DE || Miami ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Kenny Easley ||align="center"|S || Seattle ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Mike Singletary ||align="center"|LB || Chicago ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Lawrence Taylor ||align="center"|LB || NY Giants ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Reggie White ||align="center"|DE || Philadelphia ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Mike Singletary ||align="center"|LB || Chicago ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Keith Millard||align="center"|DT || Minnesota ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Bruce Smith ||align="center"|DE || Buffalo ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Pat Swilling ||align="center"|LB || New Orleans ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Cortez Kennedy ||align="center"|DT || Seattle ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Rod Woodson ||align="center"|CB || Pittsburgh ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Deion Sanders ||align="center"|CB || San Francisco ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Bryce Paup ||align="center"|LB || Buffalo ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Bruce Smith ||align="center"|DE || Buffalo ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Dana Stubblefield ||align="center"|DT || San Francisco ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Reggie White ||align="center"|DE || Green Bay ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Warren Sapp ||align="center"|DT || Tampa Bay ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Ray Lewis ||align="center"|LB || Baltimore ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Michael Strahan ||align="center"|DE || NY Giants ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Derrick Brooks ||align="center"|LB || Tampa Bay ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Ray Lewis ||align="center"|LB || Baltimore ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Ed Reed ||align="center"|S || Baltimore ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Brian Urlacher ||align="center"|LB || Chicago ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Jason Taylor ||align="center"|DE || Miami ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Bob Sanders ||align="center"|S || Indianapolis ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| James Harrison ||align="center"|LB || Pittsburgh ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Charles Woodson ||align="center"|CB || Green Bay ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Troy Polamalu ||align="center"|S || Pittsburgh ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Terrell Suggs ||align="center"|LB || Baltimore ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| J. J. Watt ||align="center"|DE || Houston ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Luke Kuechly ||align="center"|LB || Carolina ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| J. J. Watt ||align="center"|DE || Houston ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| J. J. Watt ||align="center"|DE || Houston ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Khalil Mack ||align="center"|DE || Oakland ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Aaron Donald ||align="center"|DT || LA Rams ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Aaron Donald ||align="center"|DT || LA Rams ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Stephon Gilmore ||align="center"|CB || New England ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Aaron Donald ||align="center"|DT || LA Rams ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| T. J. Watt ||align="center"|LB || Pittsburgh ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Nick Bosa ||align="center"|DE || San Francisco ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Myles Garrett ||align="center"|DE || Cleveland ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Patrick Surtain II ||align="center"|CB || Denver ||align="center"|
|-
| ||style="background:#ffb;"| Myles Garrett ||align="center"|DE || Cleveland ||align="center"|
|}
Multiple-time winners
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ List of multiple-time winners
!Awards!!Player!!Team(s)!!Years
|-align=center
| rowspan="3” |3||Aaron Donald||Los Angeles Rams||2017, 2018, 2020
|-align=center
|Lawrence Taylor||New York Giants||1981, 1982, 1986
|-align=center
|J. J. Watt||Houston Texans||2012, 2014, 2015
|-align=center
| rowspan="6” |2||Myles Garrett||Cleveland Browns||2023, 2025
|-align=center
|Joe Greene||Pittsburgh Steelers||1972, 1974
|-align=center
|Ray Lewis||Baltimore Ravens||2000, 2003
|-align=center
|Mike Singletary||Chicago Bears||1985, 1988
|-align=center
|Bruce Smith||Buffalo Bills||1990, 1996
|-align=center
|Reggie White||Green Bay Packers (1) / Philadelphia Eagles (1)||1987, 1998
|}
See also
- AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year
References
;General
;Footnotes