NFL Honors 2026 winners: MVP, rookies, coaches and the full awards list

Super Bowl week continued in San Francisco with a star-studded, glitzy night at the NFL Honors, hosted by Jon Hamm.

In the build-up to Super Bowl LX on Sunday, the league took a moment to celebrate the players and coaches whose performances defined the 2025 season.

From the coveted MVP to rookie and coaching awards, here is the full list of NFL Honors 2026 winners and nominees in each category.

Watch Super Bowl LX live on DAZN for only 99p

DAZN’s latest Game Pass deal gives you complete access to Super Bowl LX, alongside full replays of every playoff and regular season game, for just £0.99 / €0.99 / $0.99.

As the only place to watch Super Bowl LX with the US broadcast & ads and in your local language, you can catch the game live or on-demand, as Drake Maye’s New England Patriots face the Seattle Seahawks’ dominant defense with the Lombardi Trophy at stake.

Game Pass also provides access to the Bad Bunny Halftime Show, RedZone, NFL Network, and DAZN’s weekly original shows, including Downs 2 Business, Kittle Things, and X’s & O’s coaching breakdown.

Click here for more information and to sign up.

MVP

Winner: Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams

Stafford won the top prize after a monster year, including 4,707 passing yards and 46 passing TDs.

Nominees

• 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

Defensive Player of the Year

Winner: Myles Garrett, DE, Cleveland Browns

Garrett’s season was essentially a weekly crisis for offensive coordinators: He dominated all year, setting a single-season record with 23 sacks.

Nominees

• Will Anderson Jr., DE, Houston Texans
• Nik Bonitto, DE, Denver Broncos
• Myles Garrett, DE, Cleveland Browns
• Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Detroit Lions
• Micah Parsons, DE, Green Bay Packers

Offensive Player of the Year

Winner: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks

Smith-Njigba put together a season that few saw coming: 1,793 receiving yards (led the NFL, franchise record), 10 TDs, and 10.9 yards per target.

The youngster took it one step further in the NFC Championship game, catching 10 passes for 153 yards.

Nominees

• 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

Offensive Rookie of the Year

Winner: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Carolina Panthers

McMillan burst out of the gate, leading the rookie class in receiving and finished with 70 catches on 122 targets for 1,014 yards and seven TDs.

Nominees

• 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

Defensive Rookie of the Year

Winner: Carson Schwesinger, LB, Cleveland Browns

Schwesinger was a one-man wrecking crew in 2025: 146 tackles (led all rookies), 11 tackles for loss (also led rookies), and two interceptions (tied for third among rookies).

Thrust into a starting role early, the 22-year-old dominated from the off, helping the Browns’ defense become elite.

Nominees

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

Comeback Player of the Year

Winner: Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

After injuries limited him to four games the year before, McCaffrey came back roaring. He posted 2,126 scrimmage yards (second in the NFL), 17 total TDs (third), and 413 touches (most in the league).

Nominees

• 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

Coach of the Year

Winner: Mike Vrabel, New England Patriots

In his first year in charge, Vrabel turned a team that had won four games the year before into winners. New England finished 14-3 and is Super Bowl-bound.

Nominees

• 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

Winner: Josh McDaniels, OC, New England Patriots

McDaniels’ biggest 'receipt' was Drake Maye’s leap: the young Patriots' gunslinger threw for 31 touchdowns and finished first in completion percentage (72%).

Nominees

• Vic Fangio, DC, Philadelphia Eagles
• Brian Flores, DC, Minnesota Vikings
• Vance Joseph, DC, Denver Broncos
• Klint Kubiak, OC, Seattle Seahawks
• Josh McDaniels, OC, New England Patriots

Protector of the Year

Winner: Joe Thuney, G, Chicago Bears

In the inaugural year of the award, Thuney’s case was incredible. He earned a first-team All-Pro nod again and allowed zero sacks.

Nominees

• Garett Bolles, OT, Denver Broncos
• Aaron Brewer, C, Miami Dolphins
• Creed Humphrey, C, Kansas City Chiefs
• Quinn Meinerz, G, Denver Broncos
• Penei Sewell, OT, Detroit Lions
• Joe Thuney, G, Chicago Bears

Walter Payton Man of the Year

Winner: Bobby Wagner, LB, Washington Commanders

Wagner launched the FAST54 Phenia Mae Fund in partnership with Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, Cedars-Sinai, Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Kaiser Permanente.

The program is designed to support stroke patients while also raising awareness and improving education around stroke prevention and recovery.