The AP NFL Rookie of the Year (ROTY) is an annual award presented by the Associated Press (AP) to the top first-year offensive and defensive players in the National Football League (NFL). Winners are selected by a nationwide panel of 50 members of the AP who regularly cover the league. The AP has chosen an offensive rookie of the year since 1957 and a defensive rookie of the year since 1967. For the 2025 season, Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan and Cleveland Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger were respectively named the offensive and defensive winners.
Ballots are cast at the end of the regular season and before the playoffs. Since 2011, winners of the AP Rookie of the Year awards are announced at the NFL Honors presentation the night before the Super Bowl along with other AP awards. While several organizations recognize their own NFL Rookie of the Year, the NFL considers the award given by the AP to be its official honor, with the winners listed in the league's annual Record and Fact Book.
Winners Offensive + List of AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year winners Season Player Position Team 1957 Running back Cleveland Browns 1958 Wide receiver Pittsburgh Steelers 1959 Wide receiver Green Bay Packers 1960 Split end Detroit Lions 1961 Tight end Chicago Bears 1962 Running back Chicago Bears 1963 Wide receiver Minnesota Vikings 1964 Running back Washington Redskins 1965 Running back Chicago Bears 1966 Running back St. Louis Cardinals 1967 Running back Detroit Lions 1968 Wide receiver Detroit Lions 1969 Running back Dallas Cowboys 1970 Quarterback Buffalo Bills 1971 Running back Green Bay Packers 1972 Running back Pittsburgh Steelers 1973 Running back Minnesota Vikings 1974 Running back San Diego Chargers 1975 Running back Washington Redskins 1976 Wide receiver Minnesota Vikings 1977 Running back Dallas Cowboys 1978 Running back Houston Oilers 1979 Running back St. Louis Cardinals 1980 Running back Detroit Lions 1981 Running back New Orleans Saints 1982 Running back Los Angeles Raiders 1983 Running back Los Angeles Rams 1984 Wide receiver Pittsburgh Steelers 1985 Wide receiver Cincinnati Bengals 1986 Running back New Orleans Saints 1987 Running back Miami Dolphins 1988 Running back New England Patriots 1989 Running back Detroit Lions 1990 Running back Dallas Cowboys 1991 Running back New England Patriots 1992 Wide receiver Cincinnati Bengals 1993 Running back Los Angeles Rams 1994 Running back Indianapolis Colts 1995 Running back New England Patriots 1996 Running back Houston Oilers 1997 Running back Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1998 Wide receiver Minnesota Vikings 1999 Running back Indianapolis Colts 2000 Running back Denver Broncos 2001 Running back Chicago Bears 2002 Running back Denver Broncos 2003 Wide receiver Arizona Cardinals 2004 Quarterback Pittsburgh Steelers 2005 Running back Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2006 Quarterback Tennessee Titans 2007 Running back Minnesota Vikings 2008 Quarterback Atlanta Falcons 2009 Wide receiver Minnesota Vikings 2010 Quarterback St. Louis Rams 2011 Quarterback Carolina Panthers 2012 Quarterback Washington Redskins 2013 Running back Green Bay Packers 2014 Wide receiver New York Giants 2015 Running back St. Louis Rams 2016 Quarterback Dallas Cowboys 2017 Running back New Orleans Saints 2018 Running back New York Giants 2019 Quarterback Arizona Cardinals 2020 Quarterback Los Angeles Chargers 2021 Wide receiver Cincinnati Bengals 2022 Wide receiver New York Jets 2023 Quarterback Houston Texans 2024 Quarterback Washington Commanders 2025 Wide receiver Carolina Panthers
Defensive + List of AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year winners Season Player Position Team 1967 Cornerback Detroit Lions 1968 Defensive end Atlanta Falcons 1969 Defensive tackle Pittsburgh Steelers 1970 Cornerback San Francisco 49ers 1971 Linebacker Los Angeles Rams 1972 Cornerback Green Bay Packers 1973 Defensive tackle Chicago Bears 1974 Linebacker Pittsburgh Steelers 1975 Linebacker Houston Oilers 1976 Cornerback New England Patriots 1977 Defensive end Miami Dolphins 1978 Defensive end Detroit Lions 1979 Linebacker Buffalo Bills 1980 Linebacker Atlanta Falcons 1981 Linebacker New York Giants 1982 Linebacker Cleveland Browns 1983 Linebacker Baltimore Colts 1984 Defensive tackle Kansas City Chiefs 1985 Linebacker Indianapolis Colts 1986 Defensive end San Diego Chargers 1987 Linebacker Buffalo Bills 1988 Safety New York Jets 1989 Linebacker Kansas City Chiefs 1990 Safety Chicago Bears 1991 Linebacker Denver Broncos 1992 Cornerback Kansas City Chiefs 1993 Defensive tackle San Francisco 49ers 1994 Defensive tackle Miami Dolphins 1995 Defensive end New York Jets 1996 Defensive end Arizona Cardinals 1997 Linebacker Baltimore Ravens 1998 Cornerback Oakland Raiders 1999 Defensive end Tennessee Titans 2000 Linebacker Chicago Bears 2001 Linebacker Pittsburgh Steelers 2002 Defensive end Carolina Panthers 2003 Linebacker Baltimore Ravens 2004 Linebacker New York Jets 2005 Linebacker San Diego Chargers 2006 Linebacker Houston Texans 2007 Linebacker San Francisco 49ers 2008 Linebacker New England Patriots 2009 Linebacker Houston Texans 2010 Defensive tackle Detroit Lions 2011 Linebacker Denver Broncos 2012 Linebacker Carolina Panthers 2013 Defensive end New York Jets 2014 Defensive tackle St. Louis Rams 2015 Cornerback Kansas City Chiefs 2016 Defensive end San Diego Chargers 2017 Cornerback New Orleans Saints 2018 Linebacker Indianapolis Colts 2019 Defensive end San Francisco 49ers 2020 Defensive end Washington Football Team 2021Linebacker Dallas Cowboys 2022Cornerback New York Jets 2023Defensive end Houston Texans 2024Linebacker Los Angeles Rams 2025Linebacker Cleveland Browns
See also AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year
References General
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