who won awards at nfl honors 2026
Here’s a quick rundown of the major winners from NFL Honors 2026, focused on the biggest awards for the 2025 NFL season.
Who won awards at NFL Honors 2026?
Headline winners
- MVP (Most Valuable Player)
- Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams.
- AP Offensive Player of the Year
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks.
- AP Defensive Player of the Year
- Myles Garrett, DE, Cleveland Browns.
- AP Coach of the Year
- Mike Vrabel, HC, New England Patriots.
- 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.
- Protector of the Year (top offensive lineman)
- Joe Thuney, G, Chicago Bears.
- Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year
- Bobby Wagner.
- Salute to Service Award
- Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers.
- Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award
- Budda Baker, S, Arizona Cardinals.
- Madden NFL Next Gen Stats Moment of the Year
- Caleb Williams’ 46-yard TD pass to DJ Moore in the Bears’ 22–16 OT win over the Packers.
Quick HTML table of key awards
| Award | Winner | Team |
|---|---|---|
| MVP | Matthew Stafford | Los Angeles Rams | [5][7]
| Offensive Player of the Year | Jaxon Smith-Njigba | Seattle Seahawks | [3]
| Defensive Player of the Year | Myles Garrett | Cleveland Browns | [5][3]
| Offensive Rookie of the Year | Tetairoa McMillan | Carolina Panthers | [5]
| Defensive Rookie of the Year | Carson Schwesinger | Cleveland Browns | [7][3][5]
| Coach of the Year | Mike Vrabel | New England Patriots | [7][3][5]
| Comeback Player of the Year | Christian McCaffrey | San Francisco 49ers | [3][5][7]
| Protector of the Year | Joe Thuney | Chicago Bears | [5][7][3]
| Walter Payton Man of the Year | Bobby Wagner | — | [7]
| Salute to Service | Christian McCaffrey | San Francisco 49ers | [3]
| Art Rooney Award | Budda Baker | Arizona Cardinals | [3]
| Next Gen Stats Moment | Caleb Williams to DJ Moore TD | Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers | [7][3]
Quick story angle & trending context
- The night belonged to veteran QB Matthew Stafford , who capped a late-career surge by grabbing MVP and edging out younger stars like Drake Maye and others in the public conversation.
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba officially arrived as an elite playmaker, turning his breakout season into Offensive Player of the Year hardware.
- The Browns’ defense kept its dominance narrative alive with Myles Garrett (DPOY) and rookie Carson Schwesinger both taking home major awards, reinforcing Cleveland’s identity as a defense-first powerhouse.
- Christian McCaffrey’s combo of Comeback Player of the Year, Salute to Service recognition, and constant highlight-reel plays made him one of the most talked-about names of the night across social and forums.
In forum-style discussions, a lot of fans are framing NFL Honors 2026 as “the vets’ statement year,” with Stafford, Garrett, Wagner, and McCaffrey proving they’re still at the center of the league’s storylines.
TL;DR: Matthew Stafford won MVP, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Myles Garrett took home the top offensive and defensive awards, McCaffrey dominated the comeback and service narratives, and the Patriots and Browns cleaned up in coaching and defensive categories.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.