2026 NFL Honors: MVP, Rookie, Coach of the Year Finalists Revealed
The anticipation for the 2026 NFL Honors is building as the finalists for various prestigious awards have been announced. Scheduled for Thursday evening, the event will take place at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. It will be available for viewing on NBC and Peacock, starting at 9 p.m. ET, hosted by Jon Hamm.
Finalists for the 2026 NFL Honors
MVP Finalists
- Josh Allen – Bills QB
- Trevor Lawrence – Jaguars QB
- Drake Maye – Patriots QB
- Christian McCaffrey – 49ers RB
- Matthew Stafford – Rams QB
Defensive Player of the Year Finalists
- Will Anderson – Texans DE
- Nik Bonitto – Broncos LB
- Myles Garrett – Browns DE
- Aidan Hutchinson – Lions DE
- Micah Parsons – Packers DE
Offensive Player of the Year Finalists
- Drake Maye – Patriots QB
- Christian McCaffrey – 49ers RB
- Puka Nacua – Rams WR
- Bijan Robinson – Falcons RB
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba – Seahawks WR
Rookie Award Finalists
Offensive Rookie of the Year
- Jaxson Dart – Giants QB
- Emeka Egbuka – Buccaneers WR
- TreVeyon Henderson – Patriots RB
- Tetairoa McMillan – Panthers WR
- Tyler Shough – Saints QB
Defensive Rookie of the Year
- Abdul Carter – Giants LB
- Nick Emmanwori – Seahawks DB
- James Pearce – Falcons DE
- Carson Schwesinger – Browns LB
- Xavier Watts – Falcons S
Other Notable Awards
Comeback Player of the Year Finalists
- Stefon Diggs – Patriots WR
- Aidan Hutchinson – Lions DE
- Trevor Lawrence – Jaguars QB
- Christian McCaffrey – 49ers RB
- Dak Prescott – Cowboys QB
Coach of the Year Finalists
- Liam Coen – Jaguars
- Ben Johnson – Bears
- Mike Macdonald – Seahawks
- Kyle Shanahan – 49ers
- Mike Vrabel – Patriots
Assistant Coach of the Year Finalists
- Vic Fangio – Eagles Defensive Coordinator
- Brian Flores – Vikings Defensive Coordinator
- Vance Joseph – Broncos Defensive Coordinator
- Klint Kubiak – Seahawks Offensive Coordinator
- Josh McDaniels – Patriots Offensive Coordinator
Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductees
The Class of 2026 for the Pro Football Hall of Fame includes notable modern era players:
- Willie Anderson
- Drew Brees
- Jahri Evans
- Larry Fitzgerald
- Frank Gore
- Torry Holt
- Luke Kuechly
- Eli Manning
- Terrell Suggs
- Adam Vinatieri
- Reggie Wayne
- Kevin Williams
- Jason Witten
- Darren Woodson
- Marshal Yanda
The senior players, coach, and contributor nominees include Kenny Anderson, Roger Craig, L.C. Greenwood, Bill Belichick, and Robert Kraft.
Favorites and Predictions
As the event approaches, Matthew Stafford is currently favored to win the MVP award, following a strong finish to the season. The competition has been stiff, particularly with Drake Maye proving to be a formidable contender. The 2026 NFL Honors promises to be an exciting event for fans and players alike.
