The NFL followed the lead of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in announcing the nominees for the league’s eight major awards for the 2025 season on Thursday, January 22.
There are no surprises in the NFL’s overall slate of nominees. There are five nominees for each of the league’s awards, and as per usual, the league’s MVP race seems likely to get the most attention ahead of the NFL Honors Ceremony on February 5.
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Matthew Stafford and Drake Maye are in a close battle to be the barometer of NFL on-field performance. Stafford, 37, is currently favored over Meyer, 23, but the vote remains tight.
Elsewhere, the race for NFL Coach of the Year appears to be wide open. Liam Cohen, Ben Johnson, Mike McDonald, Kyle Shanahan and Mike Vrabel all have good reasons to win the award, as the trio executed impressive organizational transformations and the two NFC West coaches transformed their organizations into top contenders.
What about the other awards in the NFL? Here is information about the 2026 NFL Honors Ceremony.
2025 NFL Awards Finalists
The NFL and the Associated Press announced the finalists for the league’s eight major awards for the 2025 season. Here are the complete details for each honorable mention, in alphabetical order by last name:
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National Football League Most Valuable Player
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Derek Meyer, quarterback, New England Patriots
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Christian McCaffrey, running back, San Francisco 49ers
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Matthew Stafford, quarterback, Los Angeles Rams
Coach of the Year
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Liam Cohen, Jacksonville Jaguars
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Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers
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Mike Vrabel, New England Patriots
Assistant Coach of the Year
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Vic Fangio, Philadelphia Eagles
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Clint Kubiak, Seattle Seahawks
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Josh McDaniels, New England Patriots
Comeback Player of the Year
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Stefon Diggs, wide receiver, New England Patriots
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Trevor Lawrence, quarterback, Jacksonville Jaguars
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Christian McCaffrey, running back, San Francisco 49ers
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Dak Prescott, quarterback, Dallas Cowboys
Offensive Player of the Year
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Derek Meyer, quarterback, New England Patriots
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Christian McCaffrey, running back, San Francisco 49ers
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Puka Nacua, wide receiver, Los Angeles Rams
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Bijan Robinson, running back, Atlanta Falcons
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Jaxon Smith-Njigba, wide receiver, Seattle Seahawks
Defensive Player of the Year
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Will Anderson Jr., DE, Houston Texans
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Nick Bonito, LB, Denver Broncos
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Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Detroit Lions
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Micah Parsons, DL, Green Bay Packers
Offensive Rookie of the Year
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TreVeyon Henderson, running back, New England Patriots
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Tyler Shough, quarterback, New Orleans Saints
Defensive Rookie of the Year
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Abdul Carter, LB, New York Giants
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Nick Emmanwori, small forward, Seattle Seahawks
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James Pearce Jr., DE, Atlanta Falcons
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Carson Schweizer, LB, Cleveland Browns
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Xavier Watts, S, Atlanta Falcons
When will the 2026 NFL Honors Game be held?
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TV channel: NBC | Peacock
The 2026 NFL Honors Game will air on February 5 at 9 pm ET on NBC. Jon Hamm will host the ceremony, which will take place three days before Super Bowl 60 airs on NBC.
The NFL will announce the recipients of all awards for the 2025 season as well as the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 inductees during the event.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL MVP finalists: Matthew Stafford, Derek Meyer headline list
