Several organizations give out NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards that are listed in the NFL Record and Fact Book and Total Football II: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League. The Associated Press (AP) has been giving the award since 1972; Pro Football Writers of America/Pro Football Weekly since 1970; and Sporting News has announced winners since 2008. The Newspaper Enterprise Association was the originator of the award in 1966. However, it became defunct after 1997. Also going defunct was the United Press International (UPI) AFC-NFC Defensive Player of the Year Awards that began in 1975.

The AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award is given by the Associated Press to the league's most outstanding defensive player at the end of every NFL season since 1971.

The Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA) is made up of sportswriters who cover the NFL and the 32 teams on a daily basis.

From 1969 to 1991, the Defensive Player of the Year was presented by Pro Football Weekly only. PFW and the Professional Football Writers of America combined their awards in 1992. Since 2013, the award was presented by PFWA alone.

Beginning in 1966, the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) annually awarded the George S. Halas Trophy to the NFL's outstanding defensive player. The winner was released via the NEA news service and also appeared in the World Almanac, which was an NEA publication. The award ran through 1996. It was considered one of the major awards and as included in the NFL Record and Fact Book and its winners still appear in the NFL's Official Encyclopedia, Total Football II.

Winners are awarded George S. Halas Trophy
1966— Larry Wilson, S, St. Louis Cardinals
1967— Deacon Jones, DE, Los Angeles Rams
1968— Deacon Jones, DE, Los Angeles Rams
1969— Dick Butkus, MLB, Chicago Bears
1970— Dick Butkus, MLB, Chicago Bears
1971— Carl Eller, DE, Minnesota Vikings
1972— Joe Greene, DT, Pittsburgh Steelers
1973— Alan Page, DT, Minnesota Vikings
1974— Joe Greene, DT, Pittsburgh Steelers
1975— Curley Culp, DT, Houston Oilers
1976— Jerry Sherk, DT, Cleveland Browns
1977— Harvey Martin, DE, Dallas Cowboys
1978— Randy Gradishar, ILB, Denver Broncos
1979— Lee Roy Selmon, DE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1980— Lester Hayes, CB, Oakland Raiders
1981— Joe Klecko, DE, New York Jets
1982— Mark Gastineau, DE, New York Jets
1983— Jack Lambert, MLB, Pittsburgh Steelers
1984— Mike Haynes, CB, Los Angeles Raiders
1985— Howie Long, DE, Los Angeles Raiders/ Andre Tippett, OLB, New England Patriots (tie)
1986— Lawrence Taylor, OLB, New York Giants
1987— Reggie White, DE, Philadelphia Eagles
1988— Mike Singletary, MLB, Chicago Bears
1989— Tim Harris, OLB, Green Bay Packers
1990— Bruce Smith, DE, Buffalo Bills
1991— Pat Swilling, OLB, New Orleans Saints
1992— Junior Seau, LB, San Diego Chargers
1993— Bruce Smith, DE, Buffalo Bills
1994— Deion Sanders, CB, San Francisco 49ers
1995— Bryce Paup, OLB, Buffalo Bills
1996— Kevin Greene, OLB, Carolina Panthers
1997— Dana Stubblefield, DT, San Francisco 49ers

1992 - Junior Seau, MLB, San Diego Chargers^[9]
1993 - Deion Sanders, CB, Atlanta Falcons
1994 - Charles Haley, DE, Dallas Cowboys
1995 - Merton Hanks, S, San Francisco 49ers
1996 - Bruce Smith, DE, Buffalo Bills
1997 - Dana Stubblefield, DT, San Francisco 49ers
1998 - Junior Seau, MLB, San Diego Chargers
1999 - Warren Sapp, DT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2000 - Ray Lewis, MLB, Baltimore Ravens
2001 - Brian Urlacher, MLB, Chicago Bears^[10]
2002 - Derrick Brooks, OLB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2003 - Ray Lewis, ILB, Baltimore Ravens
2004 - Ed Reed, S, Baltimore Ravens

2008 - Albert Haynesworth, DT, Tennessee Titans
2009 - Charles Woodson, CB, Green Bay Packers
2010 - Clay Matthews, LB, Green Bay Packers
2011 - Jared Allen, DE, Minnesota Vikings
2012 - J. J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans
2013 - Luke Kuechly, LB, Carolina Panthers
2014 - J. J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans
2015 - J. J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans
2016 - Khalil Mack, DE, Oakland Raiders
2017 - Calais Campbell, DE, Jacksonville Jaguars
2018 - Aaron Donald, DT, Los Angeles Rams
2019 - Stephon Gilmore, CB, New England Patriots
2020 - Aaron Donald, DT, Los Angeles Rams
2021 - T. J. Watt, OLB, Pittsburgh Steelers
2022 - Nick Bosa, DE, San Francisco 49ers
2023 - Myles Garrett, DE, Cleveland Browns

Sports Illustrated's Defensive Player of the Year Awards spanned from 2008 to 2014 ^[11]
2008 - DeMarcus Ware, OLB, Dallas Cowboys
2009 - Darrelle Revis, CB, New York Jets
2010 - Julius Peppers, DE, Chicago Bears
2011 - Justin Smith, DE, San Francisco 49ers
2012 - J. J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans
2013 - Robert Quinn, DE, St. Louis Rams
2014 - J. J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans

Pro Football Focus began giving individual awards in 2011 and have continued since.^[12]
2011 - Justin Smith, DE, San Francisco 49ers
2012 - J. J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans
2013 - J. J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans
2014 - J. J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans
2015 - Aaron Donald, DT, St. Louis Rams
2016 - Aaron Donald, DT, Los Angeles Rams
2017 - Harrison Smith, S, Minnesota Vikings
2018 - Aaron Donald, DT, Los Angeles Rams
2019 - Aaron Donald, DT, Los Angeles Rams
2020 - Aaron Donald, DT, Los Angeles Rams
2021 - Aaron Donald, DT, Los Angeles Rams
2022 - Chris Jones, DT, Kansas City Chiefs
2023 - Myles Garrett, DE, Cleveland Browns

Began in 1969, the "101" is 101 of the top NFL sportswriters who have been voting on awards, such as the Defensive Player of each Conference since 1969.^[13]

• Kansas City Committee of 101 Awards (since 1969)
• Newspaper Enterprise Association NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award (defunct)
• NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award
• UPI AFL-AFC Player of the Year (defunct)
• UPI NFC Player of the Year (defunct)
• List of National Football League awards