NFL Names MVP, Other Awards Before Super Bowl Kicks Off

The 2026 NFL Honors event was held on Thursday at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco and recognized some of the league’ s best.

Hosted by actor Jon Hamm and broadcast live on NBC, Peacock, and NFL Network, the show brought together players, coaches, and executives ahead of Super Bowl LX to recognize individual excellence across the league.

The event was highlighted with the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award going to Matthew Stafford, the veteran Los Angeles Rams quarterback. Stafford’s 2025 campaign was one of his most prolific, as he led the league with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns.

Stafford finished just ahead of New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye in the closest MVP vote since 2003. Stafford’s performance was instrumental in guiding the Rams to a 12–5 record and an NFC Championship game appearance.

The marked his first NFL MVP award and his acceptance speech also included the announcement that he plans to return for an 18th season.

“You’re unbelievable cheerleaders for me,” he said to his wife and daughters on stage. “I appreciate it. I am so happy to have you at the games on the sideline with me, and I can’t wait for you to cheer me on next year when we’re out there kicking ass.”

Offensive & Defensive Players of the Year

Several other awards were also handed out at the ceremony. The NFL Offensive Player of the Year honor went to Jaxon Smith-Njigba of the Seattle Seahawks.

Smith-Njigba burst onto the national stage with 1,793 receiving yards and established himself as one of the league’s premier playmakers. His deep threat ability and explosive playmaking helped elevate Seattle’s offense and positioned him as a rising young star in the league.

On the defensive side, the Defensive Player of the Year award was claimed by Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns. Garrett, already one of the premier pass rushers in the NFL, delivered a record-setting season with 23 sacks.

Rookie Awards

Among the league’s newcomers, Tetairoa McMillan of the Carolina Panthers earned NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. McMillan made an immediate impact in his first season, surpassing 1,000 receiving yards and bringing a consistent big-play ability to the Panthers’ attack.

McMillan’s breakout performance marked one of the strongest rookie offensive seasons in recent memory and helped the team find a playoff appearance.

On the defensive side, Carson Schwesinger of the Cleveland Browns won the Rookie of the Year for his standout first season

Other Awards

A few other key awards were also handed out. The Coach of the Year award was presented to Mike Vrabel, head coach of the New England Patriots.

The honor recognizes his remarkable turnaround season for the franchise. Vrabel guided the Patriots to a 14–3 regular-season record in 2025 after the team had finished 4–13 the year before, earning a Super Bowl LX berth in his first season with the Patriots. This marks Vrabel’s second Coach of the Year award, making him one of the few coaches in NFL history to win with multiple teams.

The Comeback Player of the Year accolade went to San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey, who delivered one of the most inspiring stories of the 2025 season.

McCaffrey overcame significant injury setbacks from prior years — including a torn posterior cruciate ligament and other ailments — to return to full health and elite form. In 2025 he amassed over 2,100 yards from scrimmage, ranking among the league’s top offensive performers while playing all 17 games. He became the first running back in more than two decades to earn the Comeback Player award.

Super Bowl Betting Odds

Sunday’s Super Bowl is set to kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET, and will be broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock. For NFL betting, the Seahawks remained a 4.5-point favorite over the Patriots as of Friday morning, according to FanDuel. The over/under stood at 45.5 and here’s a look at top contenders for the MVP award:

• Sam Darnold +115
• Drake Maye +230
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba +550
• Kenneth Walker III +850
• Rhamondre Stevenson +3000
• Stefon Diggs +4500