| 1971 Minnesota Vikings | Alan Page | |
| 1972 Pittsburgh Steelers | Joe Greene | |
| 1973 Miami Dolphins | Dick Anderson | |
| 1974 Pittsburgh Steelers | Joe Greene | |
| 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers | Mel Blount | |
| 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers | Jack Lambert | |
| 1977 Dallas Cowboys | Harvey Martin | |
| 1978 Denver Broncos | Randy Gradishar | |
| 1979 Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Lee Roy Selmon | |
| 1980 Oakland Raiders | Lester Hayes | |
| 1981 New York Giants | Lawrence Taylor | |
| 1982 New York Giants | Lawrence Taylor | |
| 1983 Miami Dolphins | Doug Betters | |
| 1984 Seattle Seahawks | Kenny Easley | |
| 1985 Chicago Bears | Mike Singletary | |
| 1986 New York Giants | Lawrence Taylor | |
| 1987 Philadelphia Eagles | Reggie White | |
| 1988 Chicago Bears | Mike Singletary | |
| 1989 Minnesota Vikings | Keith Millard | |
| 1990 Buffalo Bills | Bruce Smith | |
| 1991 New Orleans Saints | Pat Swilling | |
| 1992 Seattle Seahawks | Cortez Kennedy | |
| 1993 Pittsburgh Steelers | Rod Woodson | |
| 1994 San Francisco 49ers | Deion Sanders | |
| 1995 Buffalo Bills | Bryce Paup | |
| 1996 Buffalo Bills | Bruce Smith | |
| 1997 San Francisco 49ers | Dana Stubblefield | |
| 1998 Green Bay Packers | Reggie White | |
| 1999 Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Warren Sapp | |
| 2000 Baltimore Ravens | Ray Lewis | |
| 2001 New York Giants | Michael Strahan | |
| 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Derrick Brooks | |
| 2003 Baltimore Ravens | Ray Lewis | |
| 2004 Baltimore Ravens | Ed Reed | |
| 2005 Chicago Bears | Brian Urlacher | |
| 2006 Miami Dolphins | Jason Taylor | |
| 2007 Indianapolis Colts | Bob Sanders | |
| 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers | James Harrison | |
| 2009 Green Bay Packers | Charles Woodson | |
| 2010 Pittsburgh Steelers | Troy Polamalu | |
| 2011 Baltimore Ravens | Terrell Suggs | |
| 2012 Houston Texans | J.J. Watt | |
| 2013 Carolina Panthers | Luke Kuechly | |
| 2014 Houston Texans | J.J. Watt | |
| 2015 Houston Texans | J.J. Watt | |
| 2016 Oakland Raiders | Khalil Mack | |
| 2017 Los Angeles Rams | Aaron Donald | |
| 2018 Los Angeles Rams | Aaron Donald | |
| 2019 New England Patriots | Stephen Gilmore | |
| 2020 Los Angeles Rams | Aaron Donald | |
| 2021 Pittsburgh Steelers | T.J. Watt | |
| 2022 San Francisco 49ers | Nick Bosa | |