The 2026 NFL Honors will celebrate the league’s best with the Associated Press awards, featuring a star-studded list of finalists and a live ceremony hosted by Jon Hamm.
What Are the NFL Honors?
The NFL Honors is the league’s annual awards ceremony, where the Associated Press (AP) recognizes the top performers of the season. The AP has eight NFL awards, which are considered the league’s official honors:
- Most Valuable Player (MVP)
- Coach of the Year
- Assistant Coach of the Year
- Comeback Player of the Year
- Offensive Player of the Year
- Defensive Player of the Year
- Offensive Rookie of the Year
- Defensive Rookie of the Year
These awards have been announced at the NFL Honors show since 2012, solidifying the event as a must-watch for football fans.
When and How to Watch the 2026 NFL Honors
The 2026 NFL Honors will take place on February 5, 2026, starting at 9 p.m. ET. The ceremony will be hosted by actor Jon Hamm and will air live on NBC and NFL Network. For those preferring to stream, the event will also be available on Peacock and NFL+.
How the Voting Works
The winners of the AP NFL awards are determined by a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league. Voting is completed before the playoffs begin, ensuring that postseason performance does not influence the results. Notable voters include Pro Football Hall of Famers Tony Dungy and Kurt Warner, as well as Rich Gannon, the 2002 AP NFL MVP.
Each voter selects a top five for each award, with a weighted point system in place since 2022:
- First-place vote: 10 points
- Second-place vote: 5 points
- Third-place vote: 3 points
- Fourth-place vote: 2 points
- Fifth-place vote: 1 point
The votes are tabulated by the accounting firm Lutz and Carr, ensuring accuracy and transparency in the process.
Meet the 2026 Finalists
The 2026 NFL Honors feature a competitive lineup of finalists across all categories. Here are the key contenders:
Most Valuable Player (MVP)
The MVP race is one of the most anticipated, with Christian McCaffrey making history as only the second player to be a finalist for three AP NFL awards: MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, and Comeback Player of the Year. The other finalists are:
- Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills)
- Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars)
- Drake Maye (New England Patriots)
- Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles Rams)
Coach of the Year
The finalists for Coach of the Year are:
- Liam Coen (Los Angeles Rams)
- Ben Johnson (Detroit Lions)
- Mike Macdonald (Seattle Seahawks)
- Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers)
- Mike Vrabel (Tennessee Titans)
Offensive Player of the Year
In addition to McCaffrey, the finalists for Offensive Player of the Year include:
- Drake Maye (New England Patriots)
- Puka Nacua (Los Angeles Rams)
- Bijan Robinson (Atlanta Falcons)
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seattle Seahawks)
Defensive Player of the Year
The finalists for Defensive Player of the Year are:
- Will Anderson Jr. (Houston Texans)
- Nik Bonitto (Denver Broncos)
- Myles Garrett (Cleveland Browns)
- Aidan Hutchinson (Detroit Lions)
- Micah Parsons (Dallas Cowboys)
Why the NFL Honors Matter
The NFL Honors is more than just an awards show; it’s a celebration of the league’s best and brightest. The AP awards are widely regarded as the most prestigious in football, with winners often seeing their legacies cemented in NFL history. For players like Christian McCaffrey, being a finalist for multiple awards highlights their versatility and impact on the game. Meanwhile, the Coach of the Year award recognizes the strategic masterminds behind the season’s most successful teams.
For fans, the NFL Honors offers a chance to reflect on the season’s standout moments and performances. It’s also a preview of the future, as rookies and young stars are recognized for their breakthrough seasons.
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