STAFFORD FINALLY CLAIMS MVP AFTER 17 SEASONS
As expected, Matthew Stafford claimed the top individual award at the 15th NFL Honours, but the margin over his nearest rival was perhaps closer than many anticipated.
The Los Angeles Rams veteran only narrowly pipped second-year QB Drake Maye, of the New England Patriots, in what many believe was the closest outcome since Peyton Manning and Steve McNair shared the MVP award in 2003. Stafford, now 38, earned 24 of the 50 first-place votes on offer, just one more than Maye’s 23, and used his acceptance speech to confirm that, having fallen one win short of returning to the Super Bowl — something Maye will get to experience this weekend — he will be back under center for an 18th season in 2026.
“Oh yeah, I’ll be back,” Stafford grinned from the podium. “It was such an amazing season and I play with such a great group of guys and great group of coaches that I was lucky enough to finish this season healthy!”
There were two individual awards for members of the brow-beaten Cleveland Browns, recognising the team’s imposing defense. Even more widely expected than Stafford’s recognition as MVP, Myles Garrett was a unanimous selection as Defensive Player of the Year, after a season in which he posted an NFL record-setting 23 sacks. Garrett received all 50 first-place votes, making him the ninth player to capture the award more than once and only the second to do so unanimously, joining J.J. Watt, who achieved the feat in 2014. Garrett, who was also unanimously named an All-Pro, previously won DPOY in 2023.
Joining his team-mate on the honour roll was first-year linebacker Carson Schwesinger, who won Defensive Rookie of the Year in a similar landslide. Taken at the top of the second round in last year’s NFL Draft, the UCLA alum out-performed more heralded defensive newcomers, including high first-round selection Abdul Carter of the New York Giants, to claim the award.
On a good night for wide receivers, Carolina’s Tetairoa McMillan was selected as Offensive Rookie of the Year over Tampa Bay Buccaneers counterpart Emeka Egbuka, Patriots running back Treveyon Henderson and a pair of quarterbacks in Jaxson Dart (Giants) and Tyler Shough (New Orleans Saints).
Seattle wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who will face Maye and the Patriots in Super Bowl LX, claimed Offensive Player of the Year honours, edging San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey, but Run CMC was subsequently recognised as Comeback Player of the Year, becoming the first running back to win the award in 24 years after rebounding from just four appearances in 2024 to be an ever-present for the San Francisco 49ers, totaling 2,126 yards from scrimmage along with 17 touchdowns. Smith-Njigba, meanwhile, hauled in 119 receptions, paced the league with 1,793 receiving yards, and scored 10 touchdowns. With his playoff yards included, JSN only needs a semi-productive night in Santa Clara to become the third player to post 2,000 receiving yards in a season.
Hoping to prevent the Seahawks wideout from doing too much damage will be the new Coach of the Year. New England’s Mike Vrabel took the award ahead of Jacksonville’s Liam Coen, becoming the seventh coach to win the award with two different franchises, having engineered a worst-to-first turnaround in the AFC East and a 10-win improvement in his first season with the Patriots.
The full list of awards presented at NFL Honours is as follows:
AP AWARDS
AP Most Valuable Player: Matthew Stafford (QB, Los Angeles Rams)
AP Coach of the Year: Mike Vrabel (New England Patriots)
AP Offensive Player of the Year: Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR, Seattle Seahawks)
AP Defensive Player of the Year: Myles Garrett (DE, Cleveland Browns)
AP Comeback Player of the Year: Christian McCaffrey (RB, San Francisco 49ers)
AP Offensive Rookie of the Year: Tetairoa McMillan (WR, Carolina Panthers)
AP Defensive Rookie of the Year: Carson Schwesinger (LB, Cleveland Browns)
AP Assistant Coach of the Year: Josh McDaniels (New England Patriots)
NFL AWARDS
Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year: Bobby Wagner (LB, Washington Commanders)
Protector of the Year Award: Joe Thuney (OG, Chicago Bears)
Salute to Service Award presented by USAA: Christian McCaffrey (RB, San Francisco 49ers)
Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award: Budda Baker (S, Arizona Cardinals)
Deacon Jones Sack Leader Award: Myles Garrett (DE, Cleveland Browns)
Jim Brown Award: James Cook (RB, Buffalo Bills)
NFL Fan of the Year: Ed Callahan (Philadelphia Eagles)
NFL FLAG Players of the Year: Brysen Wright & Ava Rotondi
Next Gen Stats Moment of the Year powered by AWS: Caleb Williams to DJ Moore touchdown (Chicago Bears)
FedEx Air & Ground Players of the Year:
Drake Maye (QB, New England Patriots)
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR, Seattle Seahawks)
Christian McCaffrey (RB, San Francisco 49ers)
Don Shula Coach of the Year: Dylen Smith & Dave Ettinger
As the official timepiece partner of the NFL, Breitling unveiled custom NFL Honours watches for the eight AP Award recipients, as well as the Protector of the Year and the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year. A special timepiece created exclusively for the AP Most Valuable Player was also awarded.
