It may still be June, but the 2025 NFL season will be here before we know it. Teams are getting underway with mandatory minicamp, making final preparations before training camp starts in July.
As we look ahead to the coming season, we also look ahead at who might take home some hardware at the annual NFL honors ceremony. Who will be the NFL MVP after Josh Allen took home the award last year? Who will be the league’s Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year? Who will be the best rookies on either side of the ball?
We’re taking a look at the low-hanging fruit, the most obvious candidates for awards for every team in the league this coming season.
Predicting every NFL team's most likely award winner in 2025
AFC North
Cleveland Browns: Myles Garrett, EDGE: Defensive Player of the Year
The Cleveland Browns might have a couple of interesting candidates for annual awards this coming season, as low as expectations for the team may be. You could legitimately say the Browns have strong candidates for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Offensive Rookie of the Year (Quinshon Judkins), and even Defensive Rookie of the Year (Carson Schwesinger). The lowest-hanging fruit is obviously Myles Garrett, a perennial contender for DPOY and the best player on the roster overall.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Tomlin: Coach of the Year
The addition of Aaron Rodgers at least gives the Pittsburgh Steelers a chance to compete this season, which puts Mike Tomlin back in the spotlight for the potential NFL Coach of the Year award. Imagine the Steelers win 11 games or somehow even find a way to win their division. That would be Tomlin’s ticket to an award and it’s not all that hard to see happening. The other strong candidate in Pittsburgh has got to be TJ Watt for DPOY, although he’s dealing with a contract issue at the moment.
Cincinnati Bengals: Joe Burrow, QB: MVP
There is no award given to the dumbest front office in the NFL, so the Bengals might have to settle for Joe Burrow contending for league MVP. Cincinnati has a DPOY candidate in Trey Hendrickson on the roster, but he might very well hold out of games at this point. It’s also possible that Ja’Marr Chase could contend for Offensive Player of the Year but Burrow is the best player on this team and should be considered the most obvious candidate to win an award.
Baltimore Ravens: Lamar Jackson, QB: MVP
Considering Lamar Jackson could have easily won another MVP award last year, I don’t think there’s any question that he is the most obvious candidate on the Ravens to win an award this coming season. Jackson is one of the biggest cheat codes the game has ever seen. The Ravens could also have strong candidates for Coach of the Year and OPOY with John Harbaugh and Derrick Henry, but if you had to bet on someone winning an award, it’s got to be Jackson.
AFC South
Jacksonville Jaguars: Travis Hunter, WR: Offensive Rookie of the Year
I don’t see Liam Coen winning NFL Coach of the Year this coming season. He would have to do some miraculous work with Trevor Lawrence to make that happen. It’s not impossible, but it’s much more likely that Travis Hunter ends up the Rookie of the Year than Coen ends up the NFL Coach of the Year. Hunter won the Heisman Trophy last year, so how cool would it be for him to come right into the NFL and add more hardware to his trophy case?
Tennessee Titans: Cam Ward, QB: Offensive Rookie of the Year
The Titans don’t have much to hang their hat on right now. They don’t have any obvious award candidates outside of Cam Ward, and they could be in for a long season. But you just never know how rookie quarterbacks are going to adjust to playing in the pros, and Ward was the #1 overall pick for a reason. He’s got a chance to be the tide that raises all boats in the harbor, so if he wins Rookie of the Year, it’s possible that Brian Callahan will also get some Coach of the Year love.
Indianapolis Colts: Daniel Jones, QB: Comeback Player of the Year
Is it more likely that Daniel Jones contends for NFL Comeback Player of the Year this year, or that Jonathan Taylor contends for Offensive Player of the Year? My gut right now is telling me that Jones winning Comeback Player of the Year is more likely. There will be some strong candidates for that award in 2025 coming off of injury, but if Jones can rehabilitate himself with the Colts, he’s got a great shot of getting some hardware and a hefty contract.
Houston Texans: Danielle Hunter/Will Anderson Jr./Derek Stingley Jr.: Defensive Player of the Year
The Houston Texans now have a wide variety of interesting potential award candidates for the 2025 season. I thought about CJ Stroud for MVP here, but I’m not sure he’s quite at that spot in his career. I thought about DeMeco Ryans for Coach of the Year, which is a very realistic possibility. Ultimately, I took a bit of a cop-out answer here and picked a trio of defensive players for DPOY. I could legitimately see any of Danielle Hunter, Will Anderson Jr., or Derek Stingley Jr. winning that award. Two of those guys can rack up sacks and Stingley could follow in Pat Surtain II’s footsteps.
AFC East
New England Patriots: Mike Vrabel: Coach of the Year
Many people in NFL circles are expecting the New England Patriots to be the breakout team of the 2025 season, and for a couple of primary reasons. The first is obviously quarterback Drake Maye and his expected breakout. The second is Mike Vrabel, the former NFL Coach of the Year with the Titans. Vrabel is a great Coach of the Year candidate this season and might be the only Patriots player or coach likely to take down any real hardware.
Miami Dolphins: De’Von Achane, RB: Offensive Player of the Year
We saw how productive De’Von Achance can be last season when the Dolphins gave him a big increase in overall touches. He’s obviously got the trust of the coaching staff, and if the quarterback situation can be better for Miami in 2025, then he stands a pretty great chance of eclipsing 1,800 yards from scrimmage, maybe even topping the 2,000-yard marker. He had 1,499 yards from scrimmage last year and barely had 200 carries. A big year is certainly on the way if he stays healthy.
New York Jets: Sauce Gardner, CB: Defensive Player of the Year
When you look at the New York Jets for potential awards in 2025, I think there are two really obvious candidates. Sauce Gardner is perennially one of the most overrated players in the NFL, but he obviously has no problem drawing the attention of the media and could be a great candidate for DPOY if he can pick off five or more passes this season. The other candidate I considered here was Justin Fields for Comeback Player of the Year. It feels like Gardner is more likely to win an award this season, but that is not a bad possibility, either.
Buffalo Bills: Josh Allen, QB: MVP
Josh Allen is the reigning NFL MVP and the Bills are going to need even more from him this coming season. Allen has clearly taken step after step in his professional career and the game seems to have slowed down for him each season. He does such a great job of getting all his teammates involved and neutralizing whatever defenses are trying to throw at him with his ability to throw the ball to all levels of the field as well as use his legs to make plays as a runner. The other clear award candidate in Buffalo is probably head coach Sean McDermott, and maybe James Cook has an outside shot at OPOY.
AFC West
Las Vegas Raiders: Ashton Jeanty, RB: Offensive Rookie of the Year
If the Raiders have a ton of success as a team this season, you could see Pete Carroll win NFL Coach of the Year. The lowest-hanging fruit for this team, however, is running back Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty was the 6th overall pick in the Draft and one of the most wildly productive running backs you’ll ever see at the collegiate level. He’s coming into a situation where he’s going to be given a ton of carries early on, and the Raiders will feature him heavily.
Los Angeles Chargers: Omarion Hampton, RB: Offensive Rookie of the Year
With as much emphasis as Jim Harbaugh places on the trenches, it shouldn’t be out of the question for someone like Rashawn Slater, Joe Alt, or maybe even Mekhi Becton to win the NFL’s new Protector of the Year award, given to the best offensive lineman in the league. But if those guys are blocking that well, it should be good news for Omarion Hampton, the Chargers’ 1st-round pick in 2025. Hampton is going to be splitting time with Najee Harris, so perhaps the offensive lineman is the safer bet here.
Denver Broncos: Pat Surtain II, CB: Defensive Player of the Year
I wanted so badly to put Quinn Meinerz in this spot for the NFL Protector of the Year award. He’s got to be one of the top candidates for that. But Pat Surtain II has a title to defend as the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. PS2 is obviously the best cornerback in the game right now, but what is he going to have to do to defend his title? I think the Broncos have other interesting award candidates like head coach Sean Payton, rookie running back RJ Harvey, and maybe other defenders like Zach Allen and Nik Bonitto. Ultimately, you can’t pick against the reigning DPOY.
Kansas City Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes, QB: MVP
There’s been plenty of noise over the past couple of years that Patrick Mahomes is not the same guy that we saw back in 2018 and 2019 for the Chiefs. There’s still an obvious and healthy level of respect for Mahomes and how he comes through in big moments, but as far as putting together MVP-caliber seasons? He hasn’t lived up to that kind of expectation for a couple of years now. Maybe this is the year where he pushes for 50 touchdowns again and just really turns on the jets. Mahomes is always a threat to win the MVP award.
NFC North
Detroit Lions: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB: Offensive Player of the Year
If the Detroit Lions can somehow find a way to have the best record in the NFC this year, I don’t see any way you can give Coach of the Year to anyone but Dan Campbell. Campbell is being faced with arguably his toughest task yet as Lions coach, despite having a strong roster overall. Losing both coordinators in one offseason is rough. The most likely award candidates in Detroit are on offense, although a healthy (and productive) year from Aidan Hutchinson would put him on the DPOY trajectory. This could be a banner year for Jahmyr Gibbs.
Minnesota Vikings: Justin Jefferson, WR: Offensive Player of the Year
Kevin O’Connell deserves respect here as the reigning NFL Coach of the Year, and certainly if JJ McCarthy can have a breakout season, O’Connell deserves to defend his title. It’s hard to see the Vikings replicating their success from last season as a team but it’s not hard to see Justin Jefferson going out there and doing what he always does. He would have to have a bonkers year to win OPOY but if any receiver can do it, it’s him.
Chicago Bears: Ben Johnson: Coach of the Year
I don’t think we’re going to see Caleb Williams on an MVP trajectory just yet. The Bears don’t have a viable DPOY candidate right now. There are a lot of mouths to feed offensively, so nobody is going to be OPOY or OROY (sorry, Colston Loveland). The most plausible route to someone on the Bears taking home hardware at the end of the year is if the team has success and Ben Johnson is at the center of it. Taking this Chicago team to a division title or even just back to the playoffs could land Johnson a Coach of the Year award.
Green Bay Packers: Josh Jacobs, RB: Offensive Player of the Year
Matt LaFleur could be in line for coach of the year and perhaps the NFC North is just the “Coach of the Year” group to watch overall. With that said, I would say the smart money is on Josh Jacobs being NFL Offensive Player of the Year over anything else. There’s not a DPOY candidate in Green Bay, and while Jordan Love might be a darkhorse MVP candidate, Jacobs has proven he’s a three-down threat with the ability to rack up tons of yards from scrimmage and touchdowns.
NFC South
Atlanta Falcons: Jalon Walker, LB: Defensive Rookie of the Year
We haven’t had many clear and obvious candidates on this list just yet for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, but Jalon Walker might be as safe of a bet as any. This is not the best year for incoming defensive players in the NFL, and someone like Walker could very well take advantage. It’s not hard to see him potentially racking up 100 tackles, five or more sacks, a few interceptions, and maybe a couple of forced fumbles. He could be a major catalyst for a struggling Atlanta defense.
Carolina Panthers: Tetarioia McMillan, WR: Offensive Rookie of the Year
Unless the Panthers shock the world defensively, I don’t think there is any legitimate candidate for anything on their roster outside of Tet McMillan for Offensive Rookie of the Year. McMillan was the top receiver off the board after Travis Hunter and could give the Panthers offense a serious jolt with his big play abilities. There will be plenty of competition for targets, but if he becomes Bryce Young’s favorite target early on, he’s got a shot.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Tristan Wirfs, OT: Protector of the Year
The Buccaneers could honestly have a wide variety of potential NFL award candidates this coming season. While we could easily make a case for Baker Mayfield for an award, maybe Antoine Winfield Jr., or even Bucky Irving, Tristan Wirfs has to be the favorite (or one of them) for the NFL Protector of the Year award. This guy dominated as both a right tackle and left tackle, and it feels like the award was created specifically to recognize players like him. He’s a stud.
New Orleans Saints: Kellen Moore: Coach of the Year
More than any other team on this list, I struggled to come up with something for the Saints. It would take a massive breakthrough (an unexpected one, at that) from one of the quarterbacks on this roster, but maybe Kellen Moore could win NFL Coach of the Year. If the Saints somehow have any semblance of success and compete for the division, Moore will be deserving of some votes, at the very least. This team has no true candidates for anything else, at least none that I feel confident in at this point.
NFC East
New York Giants: Abdul Carter, EDGE: Defensive Rookie of the Year
There were two legitimate considerations for the New York Giants here, both on the defensive side of the ball. I think you could make a case that this team could have the Defensive Rookie of the Year and possibly the Defensive Player of the Year. Brian Burns and Dexter Lawrence are absolutely outstanding, but the easier award to win in 2025 might be DROY for Abdul Carter. He’s going to have to start racking up sacks and earning snaps with Kayvon Thibodeaux also vying for time out there, but he has double-digit sack potential.
Philadelphia Eagles: Saquon Barkley, RB: Offensive Player of the Year
The reigning Super Bowl champions have the Madden cover athlete and plenty of other players who could be in line for awards this coming season. You could have Lane Johnson up for the NFL Protector of the Year, Jalen Hurts in the MVP conversation, and a few players who would be legitimate OPOY candidates. But Barkley is the low-hanging fruit here and someone who is coming off of one of the great years we’ve seen from a running back in recent memory. As tough as that will be for him to duplicate, he’s the reigning OPOY and could very well defend his crown.
Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels, QB: MVP
Jayden Daniels won Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2024 and could follow that up with an MVP campaign in 2025. There is some trouble in paradise right now as Terry McLaurin isn’t showing up at OTAs, but Daniels proved last year that he’s the tide raising all boats in Washington. This team doesn’t have a DPOY candidate and Daniels might be their only hope at taking home any real hardware in 2025.
Dallas Cowboys: Dak Prescott, QB: Comeback Player of the Year
Dak Prescott being up for Comeback Player of the Year is probably the most obvious potential award for the Cowboys this coming season, though Micah Parsons is always a viable DPOY candidate if he’s healthy. CeeDee Lamb is also a true OPOY candidate, especially with a healthy Prescott, but if Prescott has a huge year, he’s almost going to win this award by default since he missed so much time last year due to injury.
NFC West
Seattle Seahawks: Mike Macdonald: Coach of the Year
Just like many of the other teams on this list, the process of elimination really leads you to one viable option. In the Seahawks’ case, can you really see any other award besides this one going to a player on the roster? Who is a DPOY candidate in Seattle? Who is an OPOY or MVP candidate, realistically? They don’t have one. With one of the most questionable offensive lines in football, they don’t have a Protector of the Year candidate, either. The Seahawks need to overachieve as a team for Mike Macdonald to take home Coach of the Year honors.
San Francisco 49ers: Christian McCaffrey, RB: Comeback Player of the Year
As many injuries as the 49ers had last season, there are going to be plenty of Comeback Player of the Year candidates in 2025. Christian McCaffrey would be at the top of that list along with Brandon Aiyuk at receiver, but I feel like Coach of the Year is in play for Kyle Shanahan as well. Expectations for the Niners under Shanahan have never been lower than they are this offseason. If the core of players that’s left finds a way to win the NFC West, Shanahan is going to get the glory.
Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Gannon: Coach of the Year
Another process of elimination leads us to one conclusion with the Cardinals. Jonathan Gannon is an intriguing potential coach of the year candidate because he has had his guys playing well since he got to Arizona, but obviously not well enough. He’s in that limbo right now where he could be on the proverbial hot seat with the organization while also potentially being a favorite for Coach of the Year. The Cardinals are expected to be better this year with their additions defensively, and maybe things really start to click for Gannon’s crew in 2025.
Los Angeles Rams: Matthew Stafford, QB: MVP
I think the Rams have a few interesting potential award candidates. You could put Sean McVay near the top of the Coach of the Year favorites list. You have to have Matthew Stafford in the MVP conversation as long as he is healthy. The Rams added Davante Adams in free agency and took underrated tight end prospect Terrance Ferguson with their top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Stafford might have arguably the best supporting cast he’s ever had in the pros. This could be a huge year for him.