The 15th annual NFL Honors took place Thursday, February 5, 2026, at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco ahead of Super Bowl LX. Hosted by Jon Hamm, the ceremony recognized the league's top performers from the 2025 season with several historic wins and close races.
Major Award Winners
MVP: Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles Rams QB)
At age 37 and in his 17th NFL season, Stafford became the oldest first-time MVP winner in league history. He edged out Patriots QB Drake Maye in one of the closest MVP votes ever, winning by just one first-place vote (24-23). Stafford led the NFL in passing yards (4,707), touchdowns (46), and touchdown-to-interception ratio (5.8). During his emotional acceptance speech with his four daughters on stage, Stafford noted he's "already excited to be out there next year and kicking ass."
Defensive Player of the Year: Myles Garrett (Cleveland Browns DE)
Garrett won unanimously after breaking the NFL's single-season sack record with 23 sacks. This is his second DPOY award, cementing his status as one of the league's most dominant defenders.
Offensive Player of the Year: Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seattle Seahawks WR)
Smith-Njigba claimed the OPOY award after a record-setting season. He received 14 first-place votes, narrowly beating out Christian McCaffrey (12 votes) in a competitive race that included Puka Nacua, Bijan Robinson, and Drake Maye.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Tetairoa McMillan (Carolina Panthers WR)
McMillan led all rookies in receiving yards (1,014) and touchdowns (7), setting a Carolina rookie record. He had 70 catches on 122 targets with 27 explosive plays (16+ yards), more than any other rookie. McMillan becomes the second Panthers player to win the award after Cam Newton (2011). He won decisively with 41 of 50 first-place votes.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Carson Schwesinger (Cleveland Browns LB)
The former UCLA walk-on dominated rookie defensive stats, leading all first-year players in tackles (146), tackles for loss (11), and tying for third in interceptions (2). Schwesinger received 40 of 50 first-place votes, giving Cleveland a defensive sweep as Garrett also won DPOY. As the No. 33 pick, Schwesinger wore the green dot helmet, serving as signal-caller for the league's fourth-best total defense.
Comeback Player of the Year: Christian McCaffrey (San Francisco 49ers RB)
After missing much of 2024 with an Achilles injury, McCaffrey dominated in 2025, finishing second in the NFL in scrimmage yards (2,126) and third in touchdowns (17). He rushed for 1,202 yards and caught 102 passes for 924 yards. McCaffrey ran away with the vote, earning 31 of 50 first-place votes.
Coach of the Year: Mike Vrabel (New England Patriots)
Vrabel orchestrated one of the greatest turnarounds in NFL history, becoming the first head coach ever to inherit a 13-loss team and win 13 games in his first season. This is Vrabel's second Coach of the Year award after previously winning with Tennessee in 2021, making him the seventh coach to win the award with multiple teams.
Assistant Coach of the Year: Josh McDaniels (New England Patriots OC)
McDaniels transformed Drake Maye into a franchise quarterback and MVP candidate while leading the NFL's second-highest scoring offense. His work with the second-year QB included helping him finish 2025 ranked first in completion percentage (72%), QBR (77.1), and yards per attempt (8.93). He won with 249 points and 17 first-place votes.
Protector of the Year: Joe Thuney (Chicago Bears G)
Thuney made history as the first-ever winner of the NFL's new award recognizing offensive line excellence. The Bears left guard earned first-team All-Pro honors for the fourth straight season and did not allow a single sack all year. He logged 99.57% of Chicago's offensive snaps and posted a 98% pass block win rate, tied for the league lead among interior offensive linemen.
Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026
Five players were inducted: Drew Brees (QB), Larry Fitzgerald (WR), Luke Kuechly (LB), Adam Vinatieri (K), and Roger Craig (RB). Brees and Fitzgerald earned first-ballot selection. The group will be enshrined on August 8, 2026, in Canton, Ohio.
Additional Honors
Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year: Bobby Wagner (Washington Commanders LB) - Recognized for his work helping identify early signs of stroke, an issue close to him after losing his mother.
NFL Moment of the Year: Bears QB Caleb Williams' game-winning touchdown pass to D.J. Moore against the Green Bay Packers.
Sources: CBS Sports, ESPN, NBC Sports, Sports Illustrated
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