NFL Honors: Jack Lawhorne’s Picks for MVP and Major Awards

By Jack Lawhorne

NFL Honors is about far more than identifying who had the “best stats” and calling it a day. While numbers play a major role — and often should be the starting point — they don’t always tell the full story on their own. Context, role, and responsibility help explain what those numbers actually mean.

Below are my picks for the NFL’s major awards, with context behind each decision and where the margins were razor-thin.

Most Valuable Player (MVP)

The Case

This ultimately came down to a true two-man race.

On one side, Matthew Stafford put up more yards, more touchdowns, and the type of production that traditionally wins MVP awards.

On the other, Drake Maye was the most efficient quarterback in football and the engine behind a team that won two more games than Stafford’s, won its division in contrast to the Rams third place finish, and consistently asked him to do more with less.

Yes, New England benefited from an easier schedule — but that context cuts both ways. Stafford operated behind a top-five offensive line and threw to an Offensive Player of the Year candidate in Puka Nacua, along with a double-digit touchdown receiver in Davante Adams. Maye’s top target was Stefon Diggs coming off an ACL tear, with far less proven depth around him.

Touchdowns matter. But when efficiency, wins, and supporting cast are weighed together, Maye’s value to his team stood out.

Winner

Drake Maye

(14–3, 4,394 total yards, 35 total TDs, 11 turnovers, 8.9 Y/A, 72% completion)

Runner-up

Matthew Stafford

(12–5, 4,708 total yards, 46 total TDs, 11 turnovers, 7.9 Y/A, 65% completion)

Offensive Player of the Year (OPOY)

The Case

Statistically, Christian McCaffrey was the league’s most productive offensive weapon, finishing with the most touches, the second-most scrimmage yards (behind Bijan Robinson), and the third-most touchdowns (behind Jonathan Taylor and Jahmyr Gibbs).

While Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Puka Nacua had dominant receiving seasons, McCaffrey’s value as the focal point of a 12-win 49ers team — producing elite numbers as both a runner and receiver — separated him from the field.

Winner

Christian McCaffrey

(2,216 scrimmage yards, 17 scrimmage TDs)

Runner-up

Jaxon Smith-Njigba

(1,829 scrimmage yards, 11 scrimmage TDs)

Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY)

The Case

When a player sets the all-time single-season sack record, the discussion doesn’t need much decoration.

Despite the Browns’ offense finishing bottom three in both scoring and total offense — while also ranking in the top three in giveaways — Cleveland’s defense still performed as a borderline top-five unit, mostly because of Myles Garrett’s dominance.

As for the runner-up selection, Nik Bonitto narrowly edged Will Anderson Jr. While both anchored elite defenses, Bonitto finished with two more sacks and three more pressures, despite less surrounding help.

Winner

Myles Garrett

(23.0 sacks, 53 pressures)

Runner-up

Nik Bonitto

(14.0 sacks, 39 pressures)

Coach of the Year (COTY)

The Case

This was the hardest award to narrow down. Several coaches orchestrated legitimate turnarounds in Year 1.

Ultimately, record and overall impact tipped the scales. Among my finalists, Mike Vrabel finished with the best record while working with arguably the weakest on-field roster.

Winner

Mike Vrabel

(14–3, 2nd in AFC, 1st in AFC East)

Runner-up

Ben Johnson, Liam Coen

Assistant Coach of the Year (ACOTY)

The Case

Two offensive coordinators led their teams to top-three scoring finishes as part of league-best 14–3 records.

The difference came down to circumstances. Klint Kubiak had more established offensive talent at his disposal than Josh McDaniels.

Some more context: While Seattle faced tougher competition, New England produced more total offense, turned the ball over less, and received less defensive support.

Winner

Josh McDaniels

(14–3, 2nd scoring offense, 3rd total offense)

Runner-up

Klint Kubiak

(14–3, 3rd scoring offense, 8th total offense)

Comeback Player of the Year (CPOTY)

The Case

After appearing in just four games the prior season due to a confusing and grueling injury, McCaffrey not only returned — he became my Offensive Player of the Year and a darkhorse MVP candidate.

How could he not be my CPOTY?

Winner

Christian McCaffrey

(2,216 scrimmage yards, 17 scrimmage TDs)

Runner-up

Trevor Lawrence

(4,366 total yards, 38 total TDs, 15 turnovers)

Offensive Rookie of the Year (OROY)

The Case

I expected this one to be a lot easier than it was.

TreVeyon Henderson produced more than I thought he had… Jaxson Dart had a very impressive rookie season that I believe he’s not getting enough credit for… and meanwhile, Tet MacMillan seems to be the favorite to win this award. Additionally, Tyler Shough ended up having a solid rookie campaign as a QB, and before injuries riddled the Bucs as a team entirely, I thought Emeka Egbuka was the runaway favorite to win it.

Dart was a close second, and had he played more than 12 games, he may have been my choice.

Winner

TreVeyon Henderson

(1,132 scrimmage yards, 10 total TDs, 209 return yards)

Runner-up

Jaxson Dart

(2,759 total yards, 24 total TDs, 6 turnovers)

Defensive Rookie of the Year (DROY)

The Case

Nick Emmanwori made an immediate impact as a high-profile safety on one of the league’s best defenses. However, Carson Schwesinger posted the strongest all-around statistical season among defensive rookies while playing on another high-level unit.

Winner

Carson Schwesinger

(156 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 2 INTs, 3 PDs)

Runner-up

Nick Emmanwori

(81 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 INT, 11 PDs)

Closing Thought

Nobody will ever agree on every award, but that’s a major part of what makes NFL Honors so exciting — the margins are thin, the contexts are different, and value isn’t always captured by a box score.