With the Super Bowl looming, the NFL pauses to recognize outstanding performers throughout the 2025 season. The following awards were presented.

Most Valuable Player (MVP)

Defensive Player of the Year (DPotY)
Offensive Player of the Year (OPotY)

Defensive Rookie of the Year (DRotY)
Offensive Rookie of the Year (ORotY)

Protector of the Year (PotY)

Comeback Player of the Year (CPoY)
Walter Payton Man of the Year (WPMotY)

Coach of the Year (CotY)

Assistant Coach of the Year (ACotY)

The MVP voting was the closest it’s been in decades, with Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matt Stafford getting 24 votes, and was awarded the Most Valuable Player award over New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who had 23 votes. 

Maye, who is Super Bowl-bound, was considered the favorite to win. 

Stafford, who is 37 years young, announced on the stage “I’ll see you next year.”, quelling any retirement questions. 

The Defensive Player of the Year was probably the easiest award to predict. Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett set the NFL single-season record for sacks this season, with 23. He was the only deserving winner, in my opinion, and the opinions of many NFL industry members too. 

Garrett broke the original record that was jointly held by legendary New York Giants defender Michael Strahan, and Pittsburgh Steelers great T.J. Watt, who respectively set their records twenty years apart (2001, 2021). 

The Offensive Player of the Year is Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Smith-Njigba led the league in receiving yards this season, with 1,793. Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua was the runner-up, and some had Nacua winning the award over Smith-Njigba. 

The Defensive Rookie of the Year is Browns linebacker Carson Schwesinger. Schwesinger, an alum of UCLA, finished his rookie campaign with 156 tackles, 2.5 sacks, two interceptions, and three pass deflections. Schwesinger was the 33rd overall pick in the 2025 Draft, and was placed on the injured reserve in January, with a quad injury.

The Offensive Rookie of the Year is Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who played college ball for Arizona. McMillan had 70 receptions on the year, 1,014 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns. 

The Protector of the Year is four-time Super Bowl champion Joe Thuney, a guard for the Chicago Bears. Thuney won Super Bowls LI, LIII, LVII, and LVIII, for the Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs respectively. Thuney was on the field for all 1,149 offensive snaps for the Bears this season. 

The Comeback Player of the Year is star San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. While McCaffrey played all 17 games this season, the reason he was awarded CPotY was because he had a significant ACL and PCL injury in the 2024 season, causing him to miss most of last season. McCaffrey had 1,202 rushing yards this season, with 10 touchdowns. 

The Walter Payton Man of the Year is Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner. The award recognizes a player’s off-field community service and charity work. It is one of the NFL’s most prestigious awards, and recipients have said that it’s one of their most cherished awards. Wagner has various charities of many causes, and continues to support his community. 

The Coach of the Year is Mike Vrabel, head coach of the Patriots. This is Vrabel’s second CotY award, as he won in 2021 while coaching the Tennessee Titans. Vrabel came back to Foxborough to coach his former team, and is a hometown favorite, as he won three Super Bowls (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX) with the Patriots as a linebacker. 

In his first year with the team, Vrabel led them to a Super Bowl (LX), and has a chance to become only the fifth NFL head coach to win a Super Bowl in their first year with a team. 

The Assistant Coach of the Year is Josh McDaniels, the offensive coordinator for the Patriots. With this win, the Patriots are only the second team to sweep both of the Coach of the Year and Assistant Coach of the Year awards. 

The end-of-year NFL Honors define a player’s career. It’s almost like the Heisman Trophy in College Football. A player who wins MVP will be remembered forever, a DPOY will be remembered, etc. 

Overall, this year’s NFL Honors were the topic of discussion on many fans, and they will continue to be for a long time.