Tag: NFL Honors

Jan 25, 2026; Seattle, WA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) walks on field before the 2026 NFC Championship Game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Rams QB Matthew Stafford named NFL MVP, says he’ll play in ’26

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams was named NFL Most Valuable Player on Thursday night at the NFL Honors event in San Francisco.

It marks the first time the quarterback has won the award in his 17 NFL seasons, the first 12 spent with the Detroit Lions and the last five with the Rams.

He narrowly edged New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye for the award, finishing with five more points than the Patriots quarterback.

Stafford, who turns 38 on Saturday, also revealed he will return for an 18th season. He hadn’t previously committed to return in 2026.

Stafford led the NFL with 4,707 yards and 46 touchdown passes despite playing through back issues. He didn’t miss a game and was intercepted eight times in 597 attempts.

Stafford (366 points) received 24 of the 50 first-place votes while Maye (361) got 23.

–Field Level Media

49ers’ Christian McCaffrey, 4 QBs finalists for MVP award

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Reigning NFL Most Valuable Player Josh Allen, fellow quarterbacks Trevor Lawrence, Drake Maye and Matthew Stafford, and San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey are the finalists for The Associated Press 2025 MVP award.

They were announced Thursday, as were the finalists for seven other season-ending AP awards that will be handed out Feb. 5 in San Francisco at the annual NFL Honors ceremony. That night, the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year and the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 also will be presented, and the new Protector of the Year Award to honor the league’s best offensive lineman in 2025 will be given out.

McCaffrey also is a finalist for Offensive Player of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year, making him the first player in the running in three categories in the same season. Maye and Lawrence each are finalists for two awards.

All five MVP candidates led their teams to the postseason, with Maye and his New England Patriots and Stafford and his Los Angeles Rams to play in conference championship games on Sunday.

In the Coach of the Year category, the list includes three coaches in their debut season with their teams — two of them first-year head coaches.

The finalists:

Most Valuable Player
Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots
Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers
Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams

Coach of the Year
Liam Coen, Jacksonville Jaguars
Ben Johnson, Chicago Bears
Mike Macdonald, Seattle Seahawks
Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers
Mike Vrabel, New England Patriots

Assistant Coach of the Year
Vic Fangio, Philadelphia Eagles
Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings
Vance Joseph, Denver Broncos
Klint Kubiak, Seattle Seahawks
Josh McDaniels, New England Patriots

Comeback Player of the Year
Stefon Diggs, WR, New England Patriots
Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Detroit Lions
Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers
Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys

Defensive Player of the Year
Will Anderson Jr., DE, Houston Texans
Nik Bonitto, LB, Denver Broncos
Myles Garrett, DE, Cleveland Browns
Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Detroit Lions
Micah Parsons, DL, Green Bay Packers

Offensive Player of the Year
Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots
Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers
Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks

Defensive Rookie of the Year
Abdul Carter, LB, New York Giants
Nick Emmanwori, S, Seattle Seahawks
James Pearce Jr., DE, Atlanta Falcons
Carson Schwesinger, LB, Cleveland Browns
Xavier Watts, S, Atlanta Falcons

Offensive Rookie of the Year
Jaxson Dart, QB, New York Giants
Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
TreVeyon Henderson, RB, New England Patriots
Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers
Tyler Shough, QB, New Orleans Saints

–Field Level Media

Jon Hamm to host NFL Honors during Super Bowl week

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Award-winning actor Jon Hamm will host the 15th annual NFL Honors, which will include a new award for offensive lineman on Feb. 5 as well as announce the Most Valuable Player and Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026.

The program, at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, takes place three days before Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. The awards show will air live at 9 p.m. ET on NBC and NFL Network and will be streamed on Peacock and NFL+.

“Week after week, the NFL delivers performances that remind you why this game means so much to so many people,” Hamm said in a news release on Sunday. “I’m honored to host an evening that celebrates the players, their immense talents and the unforgettable moments that defined this season.”

Hamm, 54, starred on television in “Mad Men” and earned the Emmy Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series in 2015 as well as Golden Globe awards in 2008 and 2016 and other nominations and accolades. He has numerous credits in television and film as an actor and executive producer.

“His impressive acting career, passionate football fandom and overall charisma will create an unforgettable night that celebrates the very best of the league, from the performances on the field to the people and stories that define the season,” said Angela Ellis, NFL vice president of original content and entertainment.

NFL Honors, which began in 2012, will include the Protector of the Year to recognize the league’s best offensive lineman (tackles, guards, centers) in the 2025 season. The winner will be selected by a panel of former offensive linemen, including LeCharles Bentley, Jason Kelce, Shaun O’Hara, Orlando Pace, Will Shields and Andrew Whitworth.

Criteria for the new award includes skills metrics, impact, leadership, durability and strength of the opponent, according to the league’s announcement.

The program will also announce the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award and NFL Fan of the Year. Associated Press awards will recognize the MVP, coach, comeback player, offensive player, defensive player, offensive rookie, defensive rookie and assistant coach of the year.

The NFL Honors Red Carpet Show is slated for 8 p.m. ET on NFL Network on Feb. 5.

–Field Level Media

Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) is tackled by Dallas Cowboys cornerback Jourdan Lewis (2) during the second quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

NFL Honors: Saquon Barkley, Patrick Surtain II earn top awards

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NEW ORLEANS — Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley was selected the Offensive Player of the Year at the 2025 NFL Honors ceremony at the Saenger Theatre on Thursday in front of a packed house of NFL stars, alumni and celebrities.

Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II was chosen the Defensive Player of the Year.

Barkley was a phenomenon this season, rushing for a career-best (and league-leading) 2,005 regular-season yards. He is on the precipice of setting the record for total rushing yards (regular and postseason), sitting at 2,447 yards after a monstrous playoff run, just 30 yards shy of eclipsing the mark set by Terrell Davis in 1998.

Barkley joined the Eagles in the offseason after a six-year run with the New York Giants, where he totaled 5,211 yards and 35 touchdowns. He has logged nearly half of that production in one season in Philadelphia, spearheading the Eagles’ potent ground game during their push to a 14-3 record and a Super Bowl LIX appearance.

A three-time Pro Bowler, Barkley was named first-team All-Pro for the first time in 2024. He also earned several Rookie of the Year awards in 2018 before being tabbed the PFWA Offensive Player of the Year and winning the Bert Bell Award (top NFL player) in 2024.

Surtain, in his second season as a first-team All-Pro performer, is widely regarded as one of the premier cover cornerbacks in the league at the age of 24.

A four-year pro and three-time Pro Bowler, Surtain also was named the PFWA Defensive Player of the Year.

The only year Surtain wasn’t a Pro Bowler was his rookie year, when he was named to the All-Rookie team while recording four interceptions. He matched that total in 2024, returning one of his four picks for a 100-yard touchdown.

With career 11 interceptions, two forced fumbles and 232 combined tackles, Surtain continues to gain accolades for his outstanding play.

Other awards to be handed out Thursday night included:
AP Offensive Rookie of the Year: QB Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
AP Comeback Player of the Year: QB Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Salute to Service Award: TE George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
AP Defensive Rookie of the Year
Next Gen Stats Moment of the Year
Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year
NFL Inspire Change Tribute
FedEx Air & Ground Players of the Year

–David Gladow, Field Level Media

Jan 28, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) passes the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship football game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

NFL Honors: Lamar Jackson wins second MVP

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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson can add “two-time NFL Most Valuable Player” to his long list of accomplishments.

Jackson, 27, took home his second MVP award on Thursday night during the NFL Honors awards ceremony in Las Vegas. He was the overwhelming winner, receiving 49 of 50 first-place votes, with the Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen getting the only dissenting vote.

“My offense, my offensive line, I can’t thank them enough for what they’ve done,” Jackson said. “I’m not out there blocking, catching the ball, doing everything. It’s my team. It’s a team thing for these awards.”

Jackson led the Ravens to a 13-3 record during his 16 regular-season starts. He passed for 3,678 yards and 24 touchdowns, and he rushed for 821 yards and five scores.

He became the ninth player in the Super Bowl era to capture multiple MVPS, joining Peyton Manning (five), Aaron Rodgers (four), Tom Brady (three), Brett Favre (three), Patrick Mahomes (two), Joe Montana (two), Steve Young (two) and Kurt Warner (two).

Here is a look at the rest of Thursday’s award winners:

–Coach of the year: Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns

Stefanski guided the Browns to an 11-6 record despite injuries to key playmakers such as quarterback Deshaun Watson and running back Nick Chubb. It was the second coach of the year award for Stefanski, who won a tight vote over the Houston Texans’ DeMeco Ryans.

–Offensive player of the year: Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers

McCaffrey led the NFL in rushing yards (1,459) and yards from scrimmage (2,023) and tied for first in touchdowns (21) during his first full season in San Francisco. He was the overwhelming winner, drawing 39 votes for first place compared with seven votes for the runner-up, Miami Dolphins wideout Tyreek Hill.

–Defensive player of the year: Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns

Garrett, 28, racked up 14 sacks, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery as the leader of the Browns’ defense. He also tallied 17 tackles for loss. Garrett narrowly edged T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers to claim his first defensive player of the year award.

–Offensive rookie of the year: C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans

Stroud earned the honor over Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, Los Angeles Rams wideout Puka Nacua and Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson. The Texans quarterback passed for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns and five interceptions this season.

–Defensive rookie of the year: Will Anderson, Houston Texans

Anderson edged Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Jalen Carter to take home the award. The Texans were the second team in as many years to have the league’s offensive and defensive rookies of the year. Last year, the New York Jets had wide receiver Garrett Wilson win on offense and cornerback Sauce Gardner win on defense.

–Comeback player of the year: Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns

Flacco, who turned 39 in January, was sitting at home when the Browns had an emergency need at quarterback. The savvy veteran returned to the league to guide the Browns to four wins in his five starts. He finished with 1,616 passing yards and 13 touchdowns to lead Cleveland to the playoffs.

–Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year: Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh Steelers

Heyward was recognized for his charitable efforts and community service across 13 NFL seasons. His foundation, The Heyward House, promotes child literacy and helps children who are living with cancer or living in hunger. The foundation also supports teachers and students.

–Field Level Media

Jan 29, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) hands off to running back Christian McCaffrey (23) against the Philadelphia Eagles during the fourth quarter in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Christian McCaffrey, 4 QBs named finalists for MVP award

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San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey and four postseason quarterbacks were named the finalists for the NFL Most Valuable Player award, announced Thursday.

The Associated Press awards in eight categories, including MVP, will be handed out Feb. 8 at the 13th annual NFL Honors ceremony.

Joining McCaffrey as a finalist are his teammate, Brock Purdy, and Purdy’s fellow quarterbacks — Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills), Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens) and Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys).

Jackson earned MVP honors in 2019. Last year’s winner, Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, was not among the finalists.

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who triumphantly returned to play this season after going into cardiac arrest on the field during a game in Cincinnati in January 2023, led the finalists in the Comeback Player of the Year category.

The final group also included Joe Flacco, who went from out-of-work quarterback to leading the Cleveland Browns into the playoffs.

Finalists for all eight postseason awards are:

Most Valuable Player
–Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills quarterback
–Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens quarterback
–Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers running back
–Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys quarterback
–Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers quarterback

Defensive Player of the Year
–DaRon Bland, Dallas Cowboys cornerback
–Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders defensive end
–Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns defensive end
–Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys linebacker
–T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker

Offensive Player of the Year
–Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins wide receiver
–Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens quarterback
–CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver
–Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers running back
–Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys quarterback

Offensive Rookie of the Year
–Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions running back
–Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions tight end
–Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver
–Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons running back
–C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans quarterback

Defensive Rookie of the Year
–Will Anderson, Houston Texans defensive end
–Jalen Carter, Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle
–Joey Porter Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback
–Kobie Turner, Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle
–Devon Witherspoon, Seattle Seahawks cornerback

Comeback Player of the Year
–Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns quarterback
–Damar Hamlin, Buffalo Bills safety
–Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback
–Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams quarterback
–Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins quarterback

Coach of the Year
–Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions
–John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
–DeMeco Ryans, Houston Texans
–Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers
–Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland Browns

Assistant Coach of the Year
–Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator
–Mike Macdonald, Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator
–Todd Monken, Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator
–Jim Schwartz, Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator
–Bobby Slowik, Houston Texans offensive coordinator

–Field Level Media

Jan 15, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) dives for the end zone as New York Giants cornerback Adoree' Jackson (22) defends during the first quarter of a wild card game at U.S. Bank Stadium. The call on the field was a touchdown but was changed after review. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

NFL Honors: Patrick Mahomes wins MVP for second time

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Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes claimed his second NFL MVP Award on Thursday while the Chiefs focus on their bid for the league’s most coveted prize in Super Bowl LVII.

Mahomes was recognized in the primetime NFL awards show at Symphony Hall in Phoenix, where football dignitaries gathered to hand out awards for the best of the 2022 season and witness the coronation of the Pro Football Hall of Fame class.

Justin Jefferson, an All-Pro wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings in each of his first three NFL seasons, earned Offensive Player of the Year. Another unanimous All-Pro pick, San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa, picked up Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Mahomes led the NFL with 41 touchdown passes and has the Chiefs (16-3) back in the Super Bowl for the third time in four seasons. Kansas City will oppose another MVP finalist, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, in its quest for another Lombardi Trophy on Sunday night.

The lopsided voting for MVP saw Mahomes receive 48 of the 50 first-place votes. Hurts and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen each received one first-place vote.

Mahomes was named MVP and Offensive Player of the Year in 2018, then earned MVP of Super Bowl LIV following the 2019 season.

Jefferson, a unanimous All-Pro selection this season after posting league highs of 128 catches for 1,809 receiving yards, was honored ahead of quarterbacks Jalen Hurts and Patrick Mahomes and wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

Jefferson thanked his brothers, saying, “I mean, y’all made me who I am. You were all so hard on me. All the times I cried at home. You’re the reason I’m tough. I appreciate ya.”

That toughness contributed to Jefferson having a league-leading 28 receptions of 20-plus yards in 2022 and accounting for 28.3 percent of the Vikings’ total yards from scrimmage. He also led the NFL with 27 first-down receptions on third or fourth down.

Bosa was honored for his stellar 2022 production in 16 regular-season games: an NFL-best 18.5 sacks and 48 quarterback hits.

“To the No. 1 defense in the league, shout out,” Bosa said. “All my guys, you make my job a lot easier. It’s a team sport, I just do my job.

“If I’ve learned one thing in life, whatever end goal you have in life, it’s not going to be a smooth path. There’s going to be times when you’re questioning yourself. If you stay the course and you believe in yourself, there is going to be a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Other finalists for the award were Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones and Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons.

Defensive Rookie of the Year recognition went to New York Jets cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner. The first rookie to earn first-team All-Pro since Ronnie Lott in 1981, Gardner led the league with 20 passes defensed. He allowed one touchdown — in Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns — in 17 games.

After thanking his family, Gardner added, “I gotta thank Detroit. The east side of Detroit, man, seven miles. It was hard growing up, man, it really was. The neighborhood I stayed in, there was a lot of violence going on. But that was just adversity. That’s what it took for me to get here.”

The other finalists were Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen.

The Jets also picked up the rookie award on the other side of the ball, when wide receiver Garrett Wilson was tabbed the Defensive Rookie of the year. Wilson amassed 1,103 yards and four touchdowns on 83 receptions.

Other finalists were 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy and Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III.

A longtime NFL backup, Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith was voted Comeback Player of the Year. A starter for the first time since his second NFL season in 2014, Smith pushed Seattle into the playoffs.

He was named to his first Pro Bowl, led the NFL with a 69.8 completion percentage and posted career-highs with 4,282 yards passing and 30 touchdowns. Other finalists were Giants running back Saquon Barkley and a 49ers midseason acquisition, running back Christian McCaffrey.

First-year New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll, who was the NFL’s Assistant Coach of the Year in 2020 with the Bills, now has another trophy.

Daboll was voted NFL Coach of the Year for his turnaround of the Giants from 4-13 to a wild-card berth and playoff victory. The Giants went 9-7-1 in the regular season, their best mark since 2016 (11-5).

Other finalists were Sean McDermott of the Bills, Doug Pederson of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Kyle Shanahan of the 49ers and Nick Sirianni of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Other awards, including the league MVP and the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, were to be announced later Thursday.

–Field Level Media

March 7, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Kelly Clarkson performs during the 57th Academy of Country Music Awards at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., Monday, March 7, 2022. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Nelles-USA TODAY NETWORK

Kelly Clarkson to host NFL Honors on Feb. 9

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Emmy and Grammy Award-winning artist Kelly Clarkson will host the 12th annual NFL Honors show on Feb. 9 in Phoenix, the league announced Friday.

Clarkson, 40, will be the first woman to host the primetime awards special that recognizes the NFL’s best players, performances and plays from the 2022 season.

The show will air live at 9 p.m. ET from Symphony Hall, three days before Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Ariz. It will be carried by NBC, NFL Network and Peacock.

A singer, songwriter, author and television personality, Clarkson rose to fame in 2002 as the winner of the inaugural season of “American Idol.”

Clarkson also has won three consecutive Daytime Emmy Awards for “Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host” for “The Kelly Clarkson Show”, three Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, three MTV Video Music Awards, one MTV Movie & TV Award, two Academy of Country Music Awards, two American Country Awards and one Country Music Association Award.

–Field Level Media