Eagles 2025 Season Awards: Honoring the Standouts from a Wild Ride of a Year
The NFL Honors take center stage tonight, but while the league celebrates its best, let’s take a moment to shine the spotlight on the Eagles’ top performers from the 2025 season. It was a rollercoaster year in Philly - flashes of brilliance, stretches of frustration, and a defense that kept this team in the fight far longer than it probably should have. No Eagles players are up for league-wide awards this year, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t award-worthy performances in midnight green.
Here’s our Eagles-only version of the NFL Honors - a little more forgiving, a lot more focused on the guys who actually kept the season afloat.
Most Valuable Player: CB Quinyon Mitchell
Quinyon Mitchell didn’t just take a leap in 2025 - he launched himself into the upper echelon of NFL cornerbacks. He didn’t record a regular-season interception, but don’t let that fool you.
Quarterbacks barely tested him, and when they did, they regretted it. According to PFF, Mitchell allowed just 36 completions on 82 targets for 389 yards - no touchdowns, a passer rating of 58.4, and 17 pass breakups.
That’s lockdown stuff.
He often shadowed the opponent’s top receiver and did so with the confidence and poise of a seasoned veteran. And while he gave up his first touchdown of the season in the Wild Card Round, he made up for it with two interceptions and a forced fumble in that same game. That’s what stars do - show up when it matters most.
Coach of the Year: DC Vic Fangio
Let’s be honest: this one was never going to the offensive side of the ball.
Vic Fangio turned this defense into a force, even as the offense sputtered and left them with short fields and little rest. The Eagles’ defense didn’t just survive - it dominated stretches of the season, despite being asked to do far too much.
Fangio’s unit had the look of a championship-caliber group, and it’s fair to say the offense wasted that kind of season. But credit where it’s due - Fangio maximized the talent, developed young stars, and gave this team a shot week in and week out.
Comeback Player of the Year: LB Nakobe Dean
You could make a case for Brandon Graham, who literally came back from retirement. But Nakobe Dean’s return from a torn patellar tendon was one of the most encouraging stories of the season.
In just 10 games, Dean racked up 55 tackles, 4 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. He re-established himself as a key piece of the defense and emerged as one of the best blitzing linebackers in the league.
His explosiveness off the edge and ability to disrupt the backfield added a new dimension to Fangio’s scheme. After a tough injury and some early-career inconsistency, Dean looked like the player the Eagles envisioned when they drafted him.
Breakout Player of the Year: EDGE Jalyx Hunt
Jalyx Hunt didn’t just break out - he exploded onto the scene.
From Week 7 on, Hunt filled up the stat sheet in every way imaginable. In the final 11 games, he posted 38 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 19 QB hits, 3 interceptions (including a pick-six), a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and 3 pass breakups. That’s not just production - that’s versatility at its finest.
He became a true three-phase defender: he could rush the passer, set the edge against the run, and drop into coverage with the fluidity of a linebacker. For an edge defender, that’s rare. Hunt looks like a foundational piece moving forward.
Offensive Player of the Year: WR DeVonta Smith
This one was a tough call - not because of too many great options, but because the offense struggled to find consistency all year. Still, DeVonta Smith stood out as the most reliable weapon in the passing game.
He led the team with 1,008 receiving yards and did it without the drama that surrounded other parts of the offense. Smith ran crisp routes, made tough catches in traffic, and brought a steady presence to a unit that desperately needed one. In a season where the offense often lacked rhythm, Smith was one of the few players who delivered week after week.
Defensive Player of the Year: CB Cooper DeJean
We could easily double up on Quinyon Mitchell here, but Cooper DeJean deserves his own spotlight.
DeJean made an immediate impact as a rookie, finishing the season with 93 tackles, 16 pass breakups, 2 interceptions, and a forced fumble. But it wasn’t just the numbers - it was how he played.
He’s one of the best tackling corners in the league already, and his versatility is a defensive coordinator’s dream. Outside corner, slot, safety, even linebacker-type roles - DeJean did it all.
Pairing him with Mitchell gives the Eagles one of the most exciting young cornerback duos in the league.
Offensive Rookie of the Year: iOL Drew Kendall
The Eagles didn’t invest heavily on offense in the 2025 draft, so the rookie pool was shallow. It basically came down to Drew Kendall or undrafted wideout Darius Cooper.
Kendall gets the nod, even though he only logged 89 snaps. He held his own when called upon and showed enough promise to be considered a long-term piece on the interior line. Cooper had some moments, but a costly taunting penalty against Washington - which derailed a red zone trip and led to a pick - was hard to overlook.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: LB Jihaad Campbell
When Nakobe Dean was sidelined early in the year, Jihaad Campbell stepped in and looked like a seasoned pro.
In the first seven games, Campbell tallied 43 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble, and a couple of pass breakups. He made plays all over the field and showed a strong grasp of the defense.
But what stood out even more? His attitude.
When Dean returned and reclaimed the starting job, Campbell didn’t sulk. He stayed ready, stayed engaged, and stepped up again when Dean got hurt later in the year.
That kind of maturity from a rookie is rare - and valuable.
Clutch Performance of the Year: Moro Ojomo Calls His Shot in Green Bay
Late in a tight game against the Packers, Green Bay lined up for a critical 4th and 1. That’s when Moro Ojomo made the play of the night - before the ball was even snapped.
You could hear him on the broadcast shouting, “INSIDE ZONE THIS WAY! INSIDE ZONE THIS WAY!”
He read the play, shot into the backfield, and stuffed the run cold. Turnover on downs.
Game-changer. That’s elite film study, communication, and execution all rolled into one.
In a season full of defensive highlights, this one stood out.
Moment of the Year: Jordan Davis’ Blocked Field Goal TD vs. Rams
In a season that had more lows than highs, this was one of the purest moments of joy.
Jordan Davis - all 340 pounds of him - blocked a field goal, scooped it, and took it to the house against the Rams. The big man rumbled down the field, and the sideline went wild. It was the kind of play that reminds you why you love football - unexpected, electric, and unforgettable.
Celly of the Year: Dallas Goedert’s “Lion King” Baby Spike
After scoring a touchdown, new dad Dallas Goedert gave us a celebration for the ages. First, he rocked the baby to sleep.
Then he held it up like Simba on Pride Rock. And then… he spiked the baby.
Fake baby, of course. But the whole thing was hilarious - and it had the press box cracking up. A perfect mix of joy, humor, and dad energy.
Unstoppable Performance of the Year: Eagles’ Defense Shuts Out the Raiders
Yes, the Raiders had the worst offense in the NFL this season. But shutouts are rare, and the Eagles didn’t just blank Vegas - they dominated them.
Final score: 31-0. The Raiders managed just 75 total yards - 46 on the ground, 29 through the air.
That’s not just a bad offensive day; that’s a defensive masterclass. It was the Eagles’ first shutout since 2018, and only their fourth since 1996.
No matter the opponent, that kind of performance is special.
Final Thoughts
The 2025 Eagles season didn’t end the way fans hoped. But in the midst of the chaos, there were standout performances that deserve recognition. From rising stars in the secondary to veterans stepping up, this team still has plenty of pieces to build around.
If the offense can catch up to what the defense showed this year, the Eagles won’t just be handing out internal awards - they’ll be back in the national spotlight where they belong.