The biggest surprise of the night came in the form of the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. While the Associated Press (AP) voters had named Lamar Jackson as the first-team All-Pro quarterback, they chose to award MVP honors to Josh Allen instead. This broke a 38-year trend where the All-Pro quarterback also won MVP.
Allen admitted to being shocked by the decision, acknowledging that Jackson was equally deserving of the award. The voting was one of the closest in history, with Allen securing 27 first-place votes compared to Jackson’s 23. This marked the closest MVP race since 2003 when Peyton Manning and Steve McNair tied for the award. Allen also became the third Buffalo Bills player to win MVP, joining Thurman Thomas (1991) and O.J. Simpson (1973).
Kevin O’Connell Wins Coach of the Year
For the third time in five years, a coach named Kevin won the AP Coach of the Year award. This time, it was Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell who took home the honor. He became the first Vikings coach to win the award since Bud Grant in 1969. Under his leadership, the Vikings finished with a 14-3 record and nearly won the NFC North.
O’Connell’s ability to lead the team, particularly revitalizing quarterback Sam Darnold’s career, played a major role in his recognition. He received 25 first-place votes, edging out Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell, who finished in second place with 19 votes.
Kevin O’Connell Wins Coach of the Year (NFL)Jayden Daniels Continues the Heisman to Rookie of the Year Trend
Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels won the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year (OROY) award, continuing a trend where Heisman Trophy winners go on to win OROY in the following season. Daniels became the fourth player since 2000 to accomplish this feat, following Kyler Murray, Cam Newton, and Vince Young.
Additionally, he secured the Next Gen Stats Moment of the Year award for his Hail Mary touchdown pass against the Chicago Bears. Daniels is now the third player from Washington to win OROY, joining Robert Griffin III (2012) and Mike Thomas (1975).
This year’s NFL Honors was hosted by legendary rapper Snoop Dogg, who entertained the audience with sharp humor and bold jokes. He opened the night by jokingly referring to the Super Bowl matchup as being between the Eagles and the referees. Another memorable moment came when he quipped about Patrick Mahomes’ dominance in the AFC, calling it “the Big Easy.”
Snoop also took a shot at Bill Belichick, referencing the coach’s relationship with a much younger woman. The audience responded with laughter, though Broncos head coach Sean Payton seemed unimpressed when the camera panned to him after a joke about Mahomes.
Full List of 2025 NFL Honors Award Winners
Below is a summary of all the major awards presented during the 2025 NFL Honors ceremony:
| Award | Winner | Team |
|---|---|---|
| AP Most Valuable Player | Josh Allen | Buffalo Bills |
| AP Coach of the Year | Kevin O’Connell | Minnesota Vikings |
| AP Comeback Player of the Year | Joe Burrow | Cincinnati Bengals |
| AP Offensive Player of the Year | Saquon Barkley | Philadelphia Eagles |
| AP Defensive Player of the Year | Patrick Surtain II | Denver Broncos |
| AP Offensive Rookie of the Year | Jayden Daniels | Washington Commanders |
| AP Defensive Rookie of the Year | Jared Verse | Los Angeles Rams |
| AP Assistant Coach of the Year | Ben Johnson | Detroit Lions |
| Next Gen Stats Moment of the Year | Jayden Daniels’ Hail Mary | Washington Commanders |
| Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year | Arik Armstead | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductees | Jared Allen, Sterling Sharpe, Eric Allen, Antonio Gates | – |
| Salute to Service Award | George Kittle | San Francisco 49ers |
The 2025 NFL Honors proved to be one of the most memorable in recent years, with surprising winners, historic milestones, and an entertaining hosting performance by Snoop Dogg.
