The long-time NFL scribe picks his NFL award winners, with New England and Cleveland (Cleveland?) picking up multiple honors
Once upon a time, I actually held a vote for the NFL awards being discussed here today.
And truth be told, every vote matters.
Back in 1995, I voted for then–Philadelphia head coach Ray Rhodes as Coach of the Year. I also convinced another voter to do the same. Rhodes won the award by one vote over Marty Schottenheimer.
Sorry, Marty.
The picks that follow do not carry that kind of weight. These selections are for entertainment purposes only.
Most Valuable Player (MVP)
Drake Maye, New England Patriots
This award comes down to two players, with Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford also highly deserving. Stafford entered Monday night with 40 touchdown passes and just five interceptions.
Still, the nod goes to Maye.
The second-year Patriots quarterback posted a 71.7 percent completion rate and averaged 8.9 yards per completion. Those numbers stand out, even for someone who usually avoids leaning too heavily on statistics.
New England has been the story of the regular season. The Patriots share the best record in the league, and their quarterback sits at the center of that rise.
Offensive Player of the Year
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Stafford takes home this award as a form of recognition for an outstanding season.
He earns the edge over two exceptional running backs: Buffalo’s James Cook, who rushed for 1,606 yards, and Indianapolis’ Jonathan Taylor, who finished with 1,559 yards and 18 touchdowns.
All three were worthy. Stafford gets the final call.
Defensive Player of the Year
Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
I seriously considered giving this award to the entire Denver Broncos defense. That would have been a fun and justified choice.
In the end, Garrett made the decision unavoidable.
He recorded 22 sacks and delivered dominant performances week after week. He did it even when Cleveland struggled to win games. That level of disruption cannot be ignored.
Coach of the Year
Mike Vrabel, New England Patriots
Several coaches had strong cases this season: Liam Coen in Jacksonville, Sean Payton in Denver, Ben Johnson in Chicago, Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco, and Mike Macdonald in Seattle.
In most years, any one of them could win.
This year belongs to Vrabel.
He inherited a Patriots team that looked directionless for two straight seasons. Alongside Drake Maye, he guided New England to the top of the AFC.
There is also a telling footnote. Vrabel’s former team, the Titans, have gone 6–27 since firing him.
Rookie of the Year (Offense)
Tet McMillan, Carolina Panthers
This race came down to three first-round picks from the 2025 draft.
There is a reason McMillan was selected first among them.
The Panthers wide receiver has 66 receptions for 929 yards and seven touchdowns. Tampa Bay’s Emeka Egbuka finished close behind with 62 catches for 930 yards and six scores. Indianapolis tight end Tyler Warren also stayed in the conversation with 71 catches for 791 yards and four touchdowns.
The separator for me was consistency. Fifty of McMillan’s 66 receptions moved the chains for first downs.
Rookie of the Year (Defense)
Carson Schwessinger, Cleveland Browns
How did the Browns end up with two award winners?
This one was not close.
Selected early in the second round, Schwessinger filled the stat sheet every week. The former UCLA linebacker posted 156 tackles, fifth most in the league. He added 11 tackles for loss, two-and-a-half sacks, and two interceptions.
Atlanta’s James Pearce and Xavier Watts would have been next in line, but Schwessinger stood alone.
Comeback Player of the Year
Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
The definition of this award feels increasingly unclear.
It now often goes to players returning from injury. Rodgers suffered his injury two years ago. Like many quarterbacks who pass through the Jets, he struggled last season.
Some wondered if the four-time NFL MVP was finished.
Pittsburgh gave him another opportunity, and he delivered. Now he just needs to keep one streak alive. Rodgers remains undefeated against Baltimore heading into Sunday.
