The best of the best were celebrated Thursday night at the annual NFL Honours awards show.
Here is a roundup of the big winners.
Most Valuable Player: Lamar Jackson (QB) – Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson was a near-unanimous choice for his second AP NFL Most Valuable Player award.
Baltimore’s All-Pro quarterback received 49 of 50 first-place votes from a nationwide panel of voters that includes media members who regularly cover the NFL, former players and coaches.
The 27-year-old Jackson is the fourth player to win his second MVP before turning 28, joining Patrick Mahomes (27), Brett Favre (27) and Jim Brown (22).
Voting results
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore, 49-0-1-0-0=493
Dak Prescott, Dallas, 0-17-13-11-6=152
Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco, 0-17-12-11-4=147
Brock Purdy, San Francisco, 0-9-5-12-13=97
Josh Allen, Buffalo, 1-5-11-3-6=80
Tyreek Hill, Miami, 0-2-6-9-14=60
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City, 0-0-2-2-2=12
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams, 0-0-0-2-0=4
C.J. Stroud, Houston, 0-0-0-0-4=4
Myles Garrett, Cleveland 0-0-0-0-1=1
Comeback Player of the Year: Joe Flacco (QB) – Cleveland Browns
Joe Flacco, who came off the couch to lead the Cleveland Browns to the playoffs, is the AP Comeback Player of the Year.
Flacco beat out Bills safety Damar Hamlin and Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield. He received 13 first-place votes, 26 second-place votes and eight thirds to finish with 151 points.
Flacco, the 39-year-old former Super Bowl MVP, was home in New Jersey with his family when Cleveland called him in November. He went 4-1 in five starts and passed for over 300 yards in four straight games with 13 touchdowns.
Voting results
Joe Flacco, Cleveland, 13-26-8=151
Damar Hamlin, Buffalo, 21-7-14=140
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay, 10-10-13=93
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams, 1-6-7=30
Tua Tagovailoa, Miami, 4-0-1=21
Brock Purdy, San Francisco 1-0-1=6
Calvin Ridley, Jacksonville, 0-1-0=3
Breece Hall, New York Jets, 0-0-3=3
Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams, 0-0-1=1
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore, 0-0-1=1
Kyler Murray, Arizona, 0-0-1=1
Coach of the Year: Kevin Stefanski – Cleveland Browns
Kevin Stefanski edged DeMeco Ryans for AP Coach of the Year honors by one first-place vote.
Stefanski led the Cleveland Browns to their third playoff appearance since 1999 despite losing quarterback Deshaun Watson, star running back Nick Chubb and right tackle Jack Conklin to season-ending injuries and starting four QBs.
Ryans helped the Houston Texans go from worst to first in the AFC South. The Texans routed the Browns 41-14 in a wild-card playoff game, but voting was completed before the postseason.
Stefanski and Ryans both earned 165 points in a weighted point system. But Stefanski had 21 first-place votes to Ryans’ 20. Stefanski had 18 second-place votes and six third-place votes. Ryans got 21 second-place votes and two thirds. First-place votes are worth five points, second-place votes are worth three and third-place votes are one.
Detroit’s Dan Campbell finished third. He got three first-place votes. San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan (3), Baltimore’s John Harbaugh (2) and the Rams’ Sean McVay (1) also got first-place votes.
Voting results
Kevin Stefanski, Cleveland, 21-18-6=165
DeMeco Ryans, Houston, 20-21-2=165
Dan Campbell, Detroit, 3-3-9=33
Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco, 3-3-2=26
John Harbaugh, Baltimore, 2-2-10=26
Sean McVay, Los Angeles Rams, 1-2-10=21
Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh, 0-1-2=5
Shane Steichen, Indianapolis, 0-0-4=4
Matt LaFleur, Green Bay, 0-0-2=2
Todd Bowles, Tampa Bay, 0-0-1=1
Mike McDaniel, Miami, 0-0-1=1
Sean McDermott, Buffalo, 0-0-1=1
Offensive Player of the Year: Christian McCaffery (RB) – San Francisco 49ers
Christian McCaffrey ran away with the AP Offensive Player of the Year award announced at NFL Honors on Thursday night.
McCaffrey, a unanimous choice for All-Pro, led the NFL with 1,459 yards rushing and had 14 rushing TDs for the NFC champion 49ers. He also had 564 yards receiving for seven scores.
San Francisco’s All-Pro running back received 39 of 50 first-place votes and earned 222 points, outpacing Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill in voting from a nationwide panel of 50 voters that includes media members who regularly cover the NFL, former players and coaches.
Voting results
Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco, 39-8-3=222
Tyreek Hill, Miami, 7-32-8=139
CeeDee Lamb, Dallas, 1-4-28=45
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore, 3-3-8=32
Dak Prescott, Dallas, 0-1-2=5
Josh Allen, Buffalo, 0-1-0=3
Brock Purdy, San Francisco, 0-1-0=3
Travis Etienne, Jacksonville, 0-0-1=1
Defensive Player of the Year: Myles Garrett (DE) – Cleveland Browns
Myles Garrett beat out T.J. Watt for the AP Defensive Player of the Year award.
Cleveland’s All-Pro edge rusher received 23 first-place votes and 165 points to Watt’s 19 first-place votes and 140 points.
Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons finished third with 89 points, including seven first-place votes. Cornerback DaRon Bland, Parson’s teammate, got the other first-place vote and came in fifth behind Raiders edge Maxx Crosby.
Watt, who won the award in 2021, led the NFL with 19 sacks. But Garrett had the better all-around season for the NFL’s top-ranked defense. Despite constant double-teams, Garrett had 14 sacks, 30 quarterback hits, 17 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and forced offensive coordinators to avoid his side of the field.
Voting Results
Myles Garrett, Cleveland, 23-13-11=165
T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh, 19-11-12=140
Micah Parsons, Dallas, 7-16-6=89
Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas, 0-5-6=21
DaRon Bland, Dallas, 1-2-3=14
Antoine Winfield Jr., Tampa Bay, 0-2-1=7
Fred Warner, San Francisco, 0-1-4=7
Roquan Smith, Baltimore, 0-0-4=4
Dexter Lawrence, New York Giants, 0-0-1=1
Khalil Mack, Los Angeles Chargers, 0-0-1=1
Justin Madubuike, Baltimore, 0-0-1=1
Offensive Rookie of the Year: CJ Stroud (QB) – Houston Texans
Stroud helped Houston go from worst to first place in the AFC South and led the Texans to a playoff win in the wild-card round.
Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick, threw for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, five interceptions and had a passer rating of 100.8, third-best by a rookie.
Stroud led the league in passing yards per game (273.9) and had the best touchdown-interception ratio at 4.6, becoming just the third player in NFL history to finish first in both categories, joining Joe Montana (1989) and Tom Brady (2007).
Voting results
C.J. Stroud, Houston, 48-2-0=246
Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams, 2-48-0=154
Sam LaPorta, Detroit, 0-0-40=40
Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit, 0-0-4=4
Bijan Robinson, Atlanta, 0-0-3=3
Zay Flowers, Baltimore, 0-0-1=1
Jayden Reed, Green Bay, 0-0-1=1
Rashee Rice, Kansas City, 0-0-1=1
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Will Anderson (DE) – Houston Texans
Will Anderson Jr. won the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award, outgaining both Jalen Carter and Kobie Turner by two first-place votes.
The Texans’ defensive end received 16 first-place votes, 21 second and eight thirds for 151 points.
Carter, the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive tackle, and Turner, the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive tackle, both had 14 first-place votes. Carter also had 14 seconds and ended up with 122 points. Turner had six second-place votes and seven thirds, finishing with 95 points.
Anderson had seven sacks, 67 pressures, 22 quarterback hits, 29 tackles, including 10 for a loss. He also had a blocked field goal on special teams.
Voting results
Will Anderson, Houston, 16-21-8=151
Jalen Carter, Philadelphia, 14-14-10=122
Kobie Turner, Los Angeles Rams, 14-6-7=95
Devon Witherspoon, Seattle 4-7-16=57
YaYa Diaby, Tampa Bay, 1-0-1=6
Joey Porter Jr., Pittsburgh, 1-0-1=6
Brian Branch, Detroit, 0-0-6=6
Jack Campbell, Detroit, 0-1-0=3
Byron Young, Los Angeles Rams, 0-1-0=3
Calijah Kancey, Tampa Bay, 0-0-1=1
