With just a few days until the Eagles play the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 59. There’s one last night to recognize the NFLs greatest players throughout the regular season. NFL Honors.
18 weeks of agendas and storylines come to an end. Will Josh Allen finally thwart Lamar Jackson from winning another MVP?
In 2022 when the Eagles made the Super Bowl, they had several finalists. Including Jalen Hurts for OPOY and MVP. And multiple more names who received votes, including Brandon Graham, A.J. Brown & Haason Reddick. All who ultimately lost out on their potential end of season award.
Below we’ll take a look at tonight’s 8 Awards and the finalists for each award.
Assistant Coach Of The Year
The last time the Eagles made the Super Bowl, Shane Steichen was nominated for assistant coach of the year. While both Steichen & Gannon ended up being poached for head coaching positions after Super Bowl 57. This year, the Eagles won’t have to worry about the Assistant Coach of the Year being poached to a new team.
Below are the finalists:
Joe Brady – Bills OC
Brian Flores – Vikings DC
Vic Fangio – Eagles DC
Aaron Glenn – Lions DC
Ben Johnson Lions OC
Fangio is the only coordinator this season who is a finalist for assistant coach of the year while being on his first year with said team.
Being able to transform the Eagles defensive unit from one of the worst in the league (thanks Matt Patricia) to one of the best in just a single offseason shows how bad of a situation the Eagles were in after the Jonathan Gannon tampering incident.
If a full flip in defensive rankings isn’t impressive enough to win the award over 4 coordinators who have been established with their teams. Then wait till you see the coach of the year finalists.
Coach Of The Year
I guess going 4/4 on making the playoffs, a 48-20 coaching record and your 2nd 14-3 season in 3 years isn’t good enough for Nick Sirianni to be a finalist for coach of the year.
Kevin O’Connell – Vikings
Dan Campbell – Lions
Sean Payton – Broncos
Dan Quinn – Commanders
Andy Reid – Chiefs
Either coach of the year ends up going to Campbell or Reid. Who both have been at the top of their conference the last few years.
Or Dan Quinn & Kevin O’Connell, who managed to make the playoffs with rosters that most people didn’t expect to be as competitive as they ended up being.
Comeback Player Of The Year
Comeback player is a rocky award to give out every year. In 2022, Brandon Graham was coming off a ruptured Achilles the year prior and finished the season with a career high in sacks. Of course that meant the award would go to Geno Smith, who wasn’t coming off an injury. Just a decade of mediocre quarterback play before being installed as the Seahawks starter on one of the leagues most explosive offenses with Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf.
Below are the comeback player of the year finalists:
Sam Darnold – Vikings
Joe Burrow – Bengals
J.K. Dobbins – Chargers
Christian Gonzalez – Patriots
Damar Hamlin – Bills
It seems obvious amongst these nominees that Sam Darnold will be the winner tonight. The Vikings season was written off after J.J. McCarthy got injured in the preseason. But with an anomalous year out of Sam Darnold and an unconvincing 14-3 record. It’s the exact scenario that saw Geno win just two seasons ago.
Defensive Player Of The Year
Now we’re getting into the awards that are always given to certain position groups.
DPOY is one that almost ALWAYS goes to the league leader in sacks. Which is why Nick Bosa, T.J. Watt & Myles Garrett are always perennial finalists for this award.
Zack Baun – Eagles
Myles Garrett – Browns
Trey Hendrickson – Bengals
Pat Surtain II – Broncos
T.J. Watt – Steelers
The Eagles went out on a limb to sign Zack Baun to a 1-year, $3.5M contract this offseason. And it seems to have paid off. Finishing the regular season 3rd in the league in solo tackles (82). Baun set a career high of 151 total tackles(121 more than his last high), 3.5 sacks, 1INT, 5 forced fumbles and 3 recoveries.
There’s a big offseason ahead for the Eagles, as Tom Brady named Baun his Defensive Player of the Year, and they might end up in a bidding war with the Raiders if they wish to keep him in Philly.
While it’s not certain that Baun will win DPOY tonight, there’s enough media attention circling his way that could suggest an upset over Trey Hendrickson who finished the season with 17.5 sacks.
Defensive Rookie Of The Year
Jalen Carter might’ve missed out on winning his DROY campaign (again, thanks Matt Patricia). The Eagles made sure to come away from the 2024 draft with home run picks that have found themselves fighting against another NFC team with two finalists for DROY:
Cooper DeJean – Eagles
Quinyon Mitchell – Eagles
Braden Fiske – Rams
Jared Verse – Rams
Chop Robinson – Dolphins
DeJean’s campaign on the regular season might be part of the reason he isn’t receiving more attention as a DROY finalist. Missing multiple games of playing time as Avonte Maddox was the starting nickel corner for the opening few weeks of the season. And that’s why all eyes shift to Quinyon.
Taking over for James Bradberry after the disastrous end to last season left some concern for fans what the defense could possibly look like. But 17 Weeks of going up against some of the leagues best receivers in Nabers, Nacua, Chase and Lamb saw Quinyon only give up 40 receptions, or only 2.35 a game.
The interceptions might not have come until the postseason. But Mitchell is one of the leagues standout defensive rookies for a corner.
Offensive Player Of The Year
Saquon Barkley – Eagles
Ja’Marr Chase – Bengals
Joe Burrow – Bengals
Derrick Henry – Ravens
Lamar Jackson – Ravens
OPOY is the award that you’ll see go to a non-QB while having multiple QBs as the finalists. If I had to guess, voting will come down to Ja’Marr Chase or Saquon Barkley.
Chase finished the regular season with the receiving triple crown. 127 receptions, 17TDs and 1,708 receiving yards. Of course, the Bengals defense was a sieve so they were always in a position to throw the ball, a lot.
Saquon on the other hand finished the year 2,005 rushing yards. Becoming just the 9th member to pass the 2,000 yard milestone. With multiple games of over 200 rushing yards and even over 300 total yards against the Rams in Week 12. It’s no surprise that Barkley was given nominations for both OPOY and MVP.
Offensive Rookie Of The Year
The Eagles offense hasn’t added many rookies since DeVonta Smith’s rookie campaign, and if they have. I don’t see them handing this award to any offensive linemen anytime soon.
The finalists for Offensive Rookie Of The Year:
Jayden Daniels – Commanders
Bo Nix – Broncos
Brock Bowers – Raiders
Malik Nabers – Giants
Brian Thomas Jr. – Jaguars
Once again another award that ends up going to the most popular QB. But when a rookie QB throws for 3,568 yards, rushes for 891. The media will do its victory laps to make sure the point is made, just like they did when Daniels was able to overcome a stale Kenny Pickett led offense in Week 16.
While Daniels will most likely walk away with the OROY award tonight, Brock Bowers impressive season can’t be overlooked. 1,194 receiving yards from a rookie TE who had Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew as his Quarterback for 17 weeks? Bowers now holds the record for most yards by a TE in his rookie season. Surpassing Mike Ditka, Kyle Pitts and Sam LaPorta. The future will be bright in Vegas, as long as they can figure out a QB.
Most Valuable Player
The NFLs MVP award has gone to a Quarterback for the last 11 seasons. Aaron Rodgers, Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes all lead that conversation. But 12 years ago was the last MVP to go to a non-QB. Adrian Peterson in his 2,097 rushing yard season with the Minnesota Vikings.
Below are the finalists for the NFLs Most Valuable Player
Saquon Barkley – Eagles
Josh Allen – Bills
Lamar Jackson – Ravens
Jared Goff – Lions
Joe Burrow – Bengals
Saquon might have the best case to overthrow the QBs for this award. Hitting the 2,000 yard milestone puts him in an elite group. Single-handedly keeping the Eagles in multiple games throughout the regular season, as well as being responsible for 442 rushing yards in the Eagles 3 playoff games leading up to Super Bowl LIX.
However, for 17 weeks the conversation has been between Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson on who could lead their team to the Super Bowl and beat Patrick Mahomes (spoiler, neither of them did)
Allen – 3,731 yards, 28TD, 6INT, 531 rush yards, 12 rush TD
Jackson – 4,172 yards, 41TD, 4INT, 916 rush yards, 4 rush TD
While the Bills might’ve been expected to take a step back this offseason amidst cap issues and losing Stefon Diggs. The Ravens were supposed to go all the way this season. Adding Derrick Henry to an already stacked roster should’ve pushed them over the top. But at the end of the day, only the Bills managed to beat the Chiefs in the regular season before losing to them in the AFC Championship Game.
Which players are you hoping walk away with some extra hardware in their trophy cabinet tonight?
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