Tonight at the NFL Honors, the Associated Press NFL award winners will be announced.
The eight awards on offer include Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Offensive Rookie of the Year, Defensive Rookie of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year and Assistant Coach of the Year for the 2024-2025 NFL season.
Finalists for the MVP include, Lamar Jackson, Saquon Barkley, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow and Jared Goff.
As per usual, the award will probably go to a quarterback, with the main contenders being Allen and Jackson. Allen threw for 3,371 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and six interceptions, to go along with his 531 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns. Allen currently has seven first place votes and is still looking for his first MVP.
Jackson, on the other hand, is looking to add a third MVP to his collection after throwing for 4,172 passing yards, 41 touchdowns and, four interceptions this season, plus adding 915 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns on the ground.
Kevin O’Connell is a finalist for coach of the year and a favorite for the award. O’Connell led Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings to a 14-2 record amid heavy competition in the NFC North. The Minnesota Vikings were one of the most talked about teams all season.
Barkley, Burrow and Jackson are also finalists for Offensive Player of the Year with Burrow being a finalist for Comeback Player of the Year. Burrow led the league this season in passing yards (4,918) and passing touchdowns (43) after coming back from a season-ending wrist injury last season.
Barkley ran for 2,005 yards in the regular season, giving him the eighth-best tally in NFL history. In the playoffs, he ran for a further 442 yards and five touchdowns, helping the Eagles reach the Super Bowl for the second time in three years. If the MVP were more than just a de facto best quarterback award, Barkley would have a strong case, but may have to settle for the OPOY award.
Before the playoffs started, 50 media members nationwide who covered the NFL all season submitted their votes. Tune in at 6 p.m. Pacific Time tonight to see whose names will be added to the NFL’s history books.