The NFL playoffs are approaching a fever pitch with Super Bowl LIX just around the corner. The league is also set to recognize the best of this season’s individual talent at the annual “NFL Honors” awards show, which is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 6, in New Orleans, home to this year’s big game.
In the meantime, the Associated Press has unveiled finalists for every major award category, including MVP and Comeback Player of the Year. Here’s who’s eligible to take home hardware:
Most Valuable Player
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Allen and Jackson have long been considered the two front-runners for the league’s top individual accolade. The former got the best of their head-to-head showdown in the playoffs, while Jackson was a bit more prolific throughout the season, totaling 45 touchdowns for Baltimore.
Offensive Player of the Year
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Burrow was dynamic for an otherwise disappointing Bengals team, tying Jackson with 45 total touchdowns. And Chase was nearly unstoppable as his top target, hauling in 17 scores. Barkley made even more history, however, by eclipsing 2,000 rushing yards to carry the contending Eagles.
Defensive Player of the Year
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Garrett and Watt are perennial contenders as standard-setters off the edge, but Hendrickson led the NFL with 17.5 sacks in Cincinnati, and Baun has enjoyed one of the most unlikely breakouts, transitioning from reserve pass rusher to tenacious off-ball starter in Vic Fangio’s Eagles defense.
Offensive Rookie of the Year
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Daniels is a clear favorite here, knocking on the door of a historic Super Bowl appearance after an effortlessly splashy dual-threat debut for the Commanders. Thomas was a bona fide No. 1 in Jacksonville, though, and Bowers also made history for his high-volume pass catching in silver and black.
Defensive Rookie of the Year
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Verse made an instant impact as the Rams’ top edge rusher, racking up 11 tackles for loss and 18 quarterback hits as a first-rounder. The Eagles have enjoyed veteran-level poise from their two freshmen cover men, with Mitchell in particular offering Philadelphia near-shutdown skills on the perimeter.
Comeback Player of the Year
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Burrow was one of the best passers in the game one year after missing seven games due to injuries. Dobbins and Gonzalez also missed most of the 2023 season while recovering from serious ailments. Darnold, on the other hand, emerged from the shadow of past failures with 35 scoring strikes.
Coach of the Year
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- Dan Campbell (Lions)
- Kevin O’Connell (Vikings)
- Sean Payton (Broncos)
- Dan Quinn (Commanders)
- Andy Reid (Chiefs)
Campbell led Detroit to an NFL-best 15-2 record one year after advancing to the NFC title game. O’Connell helped oversee Darnold’s rejuvenation en route to a 14-3 finish in the highly competitive NFC North. Both Payton and Quinn engineered surprise postseason bids with rookie quarterbacks.
Assistant Coach of the Year
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- Bills OC Joe Brady
- Eagles DC Vic Fangio
- Lions OC Ben Johnson
- Lions DC Aaron Glenn
- Vikings DC Brian Flores
Two of these men have already landed head coaching jobs elsewhere, with Johnson now atop the Chicago Bears, and Glenn in charge of the New York Jets. It’s also possible that Brady and Fangio could meet in Super Bowl LIX, squaring one of the NFL’s top offenses against one of its stingiest defenses.