NFL Honors: 2025 Season Awards Finalists Unveiled
The Associated Press has announced the finalists for its 2025 NFL awards, with the top contenders for the MVP and other prestigious categories revealed on Thursday. The ceremony, hosted by Jon Hamm, will take place on February 5th, 2026, and will be broadcast live on NBC, NFL Network, Peacock, and NFL+.
The AP's voting system, updated in 2022, plays a crucial role in determining the finalists. Voters are tasked with ranking their top five picks for MVP and the top three for other awards, ensuring a thorough evaluation process. This year's finalists include a diverse group of exceptional athletes and coaches.
AP Most Valuable Player presented by Invisalign:
- Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills QB)
- Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars QB)
- Drake Maye (New England Patriots QB)
- Christian McCaffrey (San Francisco 49ers RB)
- Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles Rams QB)
AP Defensive Player of the Year presented by TCL:
- Will Anderson Jr. (Houston Texans DE)
- Nik Bonitto (Denver Broncos LB)
- Myles Garrett (Cleveland Browns DE)
- Aidan Hutchinson (Detroit Lions DE)
- Micah Parsons (Green Bay Packers DE)
AP Offensive Player of the Year presented by Microsoft Copilot:
- Drake Maye (New England Patriots QB)
- Christian McCaffrey (San Francisco 49ers RB)
- Puka Nacua (Los Angeles Rams WR)
- Bijan Robinson (Atlanta Falcons RB)
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seattle Seahawks WR)
AP Offensive Rookie of the Year presented by EA SPORTS Madden NFL:
- Jaxson Dart (New York Giants QB)
- Emeka Egbuka (Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR)
- TreVeyon Henderson (New England Patriots RB)
- Tetairoa McMillan (Carolina Panthers WR)
- Tyler Shough (New Orleans Saints QB)
AP Defensive Rookie of the Year presented by EA SPORTS Madden NFL:
- Abdul Carter (New York Giants LB)
- Nick Emmanwori (Seattle Seahawks DB)
- James Pearce Jr. (Atlanta Falcons DE)
- Carson Schwesinger (Cleveland Browns LB)
- Xavier Watts (Atlanta Falcons S)
AP Comeback Player of the Year:
- Stefon Diggs (New England Patriots WR)
- Aidan Hutchinson (Detroit Lions DE)
- Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars QB)
- Christian McCaffrey (San Francisco 49ers RB)
- Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys QB)
AP 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)
AP Assistant Coach of the Year:
- Vic Fangio (Philadelphia Eagles DC)
- Brian Flores (Minnesota Vikings DC)
- Vance Joseph (Denver Broncos DC)
- Klint Kubiak (Seattle Seahawks OC)
- Josh McDaniels (New England Patriots OC)
The ceremony will also feature the announcement of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year presented by Nationwide and the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026, adding to the excitement and significance of the event.
