With Super Bowl 60 just days away, the NFL is putting a bow on the 2025 season by honoring the league’s top performers at the annual NFL Honors ceremony, set to take place Thursday night in San Francisco. From breakout rookies to comeback stories and coaching masterclasses, the night promises to spotlight the individuals who made this season unforgettable. And yes, the Hall of Fame class of 2026 will be announced, with plenty of buzz already surrounding who made the cut-and who didn’t.
Let’s take a look at the key finalists and the early award winner already revealed.
Josh McDaniels Named NFL Assistant Coach of the Year
Josh McDaniels is back in New England, and he's making noise in a big way. In his third stint with the Patriots, this time under head coach Mike Vrabel, McDaniels has orchestrated one of the most dramatic offensive turnarounds in recent memory.
After finishing near the bottom of the league in both scoring (30th) and total yards (31st) just a season ago, the Patriots vaulted to second in scoring and third in total offense in 2025. That’s not just improvement-it’s a full-blown transformation.
A big part of that leap? Second-year quarterback Drake Maye, who blossomed into a legitimate MVP contender under McDaniels’ guidance. With Maye leading the charge, the Patriots are headed to Super Bowl 60, and McDaniels has earned recognition as the NFL’s Assistant Coach of the Year, beating out a stacked group of finalists that included Klint Kubiak (Seahawks), Vance Joseph (Broncos), Brian Flores (Vikings), and Vic Fangio (Eagles).
MVP Finalists: Quarterbacks Dominate the Field
The MVP race is always one of the most anticipated awards of the night, and this year’s list of finalists is a who's who of elite quarterback play-with one notable exception.
- Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
- Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
- Drake Maye, New England Patriots
- Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
- Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Allen and Lawrence both led their teams deep into the postseason with their arms and legs, while Maye’s rapid rise in just his second year has been nothing short of electric. McCaffrey, the lone non-QB finalist, continues to redefine what a running back can be in today’s game, while Stafford showed he still has plenty left in the tank with a resurgent season in L.A.
Offensive Player of the Year Finalists: Explosiveness Everywhere
This category tends to lean toward the most dynamic skill-position players, and 2025 delivered plenty of fireworks:
- Drake Maye, QB, Patriots
- Christian McCaffrey, RB, 49ers
- Puka Nacua, WR, Rams
- Bijan Robinson, RB, Falcons
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seahawks
Maye’s inclusion here speaks to his all-around impact, but McCaffrey is the heartbeat of the 49ers' offense. Nacua continues to shine as Stafford’s go-to target, while Robinson and Smith-Njigba have quickly become centerpieces for their respective teams.
Defensive Player of the Year Finalists: Pass Rushers Reign
If you like chaos in the backfield, this year’s DPOY finalists are your kind of players:
- **Will Anderson Jr. **, DE, Texans
- Nik Bonitto, OLB, Broncos
- Myles Garrett, DE, Browns
- Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Lions
- Micah Parsons, DE, Packers
This group is all about disruption. Garrett and Parsons are perennial contenders, but Anderson and Bonitto have elevated their games to elite status. Hutchinson, meanwhile, continues to anchor Detroit’s rising defense.
Offensive Rookie of the Year Finalists: New Faces, Big Impact
The 2025 rookie class brought plenty of promise, and these five delivered right away:
- Jaxson Dart, QB, Giants
- Emeka Egbuka, WR, Buccaneers
- TreVeyon Henderson, RB, Patriots
- Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Panthers
- Tyler Shough, QB, Saints
Dart gave the Giants hope at quarterback, Egbuka flashed star potential in Tampa, and Henderson became a key weapon in New England’s offense. McMillan and Shough also showed they’re ready to be long-term fixtures.
Defensive Rookie of the Year Finalists: Future Stars Emerging
On the other side of the ball, these rookies wasted no time making their mark:
- Abdul Carter, OLB, Giants
- Nick Emmanwori, S, Seahawks
- **James Pearce Jr. **, DE, Falcons
- Carson Schwesinger, LB, Browns
- Xavier Watts, S, Falcons
Carter and Pearce played like veterans, while Emmanwori and Watts added range and physicality to their respective secondaries. Schwesinger, meanwhile, quietly became a tackling machine in Cleveland.
Comeback Player of the Year Finalists: Resilience on Display
This award always carries emotional weight, and the 2025 crop of finalists is no exception:
- Stefon Diggs, WR, Patriots
- Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Lions
- Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jaguars
- Christian McCaffrey, RB, 49ers
- Dak Prescott, QB, Cowboys
Diggs found new life in New England, while Lawrence bounced back from injury to lead Jacksonville’s playoff push. McCaffrey and Prescott both overcame adversity to return to elite form, and Hutchinson added a new level to his game after a challenging stretch.
Coach of the Year Finalists: Leading from the Front
It takes more than talent to win in the NFL-it takes leadership. These five coaches guided their teams through adversity and into contention:
- Liam Coen, Jaguars
- Ben Johnson, Bears
- Mike Macdonald, Seahawks
- Kyle Shanahan, 49ers
- Mike Vrabel, Patriots
Coen and Johnson brought fresh energy to young teams, while Shanahan and Macdonald continued to establish their systems. Vrabel, in his first year in Foxborough, has the Patriots back on the league’s biggest stage.
Protector of the Year Finalists: The Unsung Heroes
While quarterbacks and skill players get the headlines, these linemen did the dirty work in the trenches:
- Garett Bolles, OT, Broncos
- Aaron Brewer, C, Dolphins
- Creed Humphrey, C, Chiefs
- Quinn Meinerz, OG, Broncos
- Penei Sewell, OT, Lions
- Joe Thuney, OG, Bears
This group represents the best of the best when it comes to keeping quarterbacks clean and opening up run lanes. Sewell and Bolles set the tone on the edge, while Humphrey continues to anchor one of the league’s most consistent units in Kansas City.
NFL Honors: When and Where to Watch
Date: Thursday, Feb. 5
Time: 9 p.m. ET
Where to Watch: NBC, NFL Network, streaming on Peacock and NFL+
Host: Jon Hamm
Awards to Be Presented
- AP Most Valuable Player
- AP Coach of the Year
- AP Comeback Player of the Year
- AP Offensive Player of the Year
- AP Defensive Player of the Year
- AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
- AP Defensive Rookie of the Year
- AP Assistant Coach of the Year
- Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year
- Next Gen Stats Moment of the Year
- Salute to Service Award
- Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award
- Deacon Jones Sack Leader Award
- Jim Brown Award
- FedEx Air & Ground Players of the Year
- NFL Fan of the Year
- Protector of the Year
- Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026
The curtain is almost ready to rise on the biggest stage in football, but before that, the league takes a moment to recognize the excellence that brought us here. Whether it’s a rookie’s first breakout or a veteran’s incredible comeback, Thursday night is all about celebrating the best of the NFL.