NFL award finalists: Stafford, Maye headline 5 MVP nominees
The Associated Press announced the five finalists for each main NFL award Thursday, with Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and New England Patriots passer Drake Maye headlining the MVP race.
Buffalo Bills star and reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen, San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, and Jacksonville Jaguars signal-caller Trevor Lawrence are the other three nominees for MVP.
| Name | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Matthew Stafford | QB | Rams |
| Drake Maye | QB | Patriots |
| Josh Allen | QB | Bills |
| Trevor Lawrence | QB | Jaguars |
| Christian McCaffrey | RB | 49ers |
Stafford is the favorite to take home the NFL MVP award for the first time in his 17-year career. The 37-year-old led the league with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns. Maye - who topped the NFL in pass completion percentage - accounted for 35 TDs to help the Patriots go 14-3 in his first season as their full-time starter.
Finalists for other categories were also unveiled. The winners will be announced Feb. 5 during the NFL Honors broadcast. Here are the contenders for the remaining awards:
Offensive Player of the Year
| Name | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Drake Maye | QB | Patriots |
| Christian McCaffrey | RB | 49ers |
| Puka Nacua | WR | Rams |
| Bijan Robinson | RB | Falcons |
| Jaxon Smith-Njigba | WR | Seahawks |
Often awarded to the most outstanding non-quarterback, the OPOY appears to be a two-man race between Smith-Njigba and Nacua.
Defensive Player of the Year
| Name | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Myles Garrett | EDGE | Browns |
| Will Anderson Jr. | EDGE | Texans |
| Micah Parsons | EDGE | Packers |
| Aidan Hutchinson | EDGE | Lions |
| Nik Bonitto | EDGE | Broncos |
Anderson, Parsons, Hutchinson, and Bonitto were all great in 2025, but Garrett should run away with this award after setting a single-season record with 23 sacks.
Offensive Rookie of the Year
| Name | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Jaxson Dart | QB | Giants |
| Emeka Egbuka | WR | Buccaneers |
| TreVeyon Henderson | RB | Patriots |
| Tetairoa McMillan | WR | Panthers |
| Tyler Shough | QB | Saints |
Quarterbacks have an advantage when it comes to individual awards, but Dart and Shough didn't play a full season. McMillan, who topped 1,000 yards, could become the first receiver to win the OROY since Garrett Wilson (2022).
Defensive Rookie of the Year
| Name | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Abdul Carter | EDGE | Giants |
| Nick Emmanwori | S | Seahawks |
| James Pearce Jr. | EDGE | Falcons |
| Carson Schwesinger | LB | Browns |
| Xavier Watts | S | Falcons |
Three DROY finalists weren't first-round picks, including Schwesinger, the 33rd overall selection who's the favorite here after posting 156 tackles and two interceptions.
Coach of the Year
| Name | Team |
|---|---|
| Liam Coen | Jaguars |
| Ben Johnson | Bears |
| Mike Macdonald | Seahawks |
| Kyle Shanahan | 49ers |
| Mike Vrabel | Patriots |
Each nominee guided their teams to impressive turnarounds. The biggest one took place in New England, where the Patriots improved from 4-13 in 2024 to 14-3 in '25 in Vrabel's first year as head coach.
Assistant Coach of the Year
| Name | Role | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Vic Fangio | DC | Eagles |
| Brian Flores | DC | Vikings |
| Vance Joseph | DC | Broncos |
| Klint Kubiak | OC | Seahawks |
| Josh McDaniels | OC | Patriots |
This group includes three defensive coordinators, but no one should be surprised if the award goes to the other side of the ball. Seattle's offense improved significantly in its first year under Kubiak's watch.
Comeback Player of the Year
| Name | Position | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Aidan Hutchinson | EDGE | Lions |
| Stefon Diggs | WR | Patriots |
| Trevor Lawrence | QB | Jaguars |
| Christian McCaffrey | RB | 49ers |
| Dak Prescott | QB | Cowboys |
McCaffrey is a finalist for two other awards, but his best chances are for the Comeback Player of the Year. After missing 13 games due to injury in 2024, he finished the 2025 season with 2,126 yards and 17 touchdowns from scrimmage.