Ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl 59 curtain call, the NFL put a bow on the 2024 season by handing out its most prestigious individual awards.
Thursday’s NFL Honors in New Orleans recognized the top performers from the past campaign, from Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year to Most Valuable Player, with the highest on-field honor delivering the most drama. The Pro Football Hall of Fame also unveiled its smallest class in 20 years, with Eli Manning being among the notable names who were omitted.
Here’s a full rundown of all the major award winners as well as how the voting panned out.
NFL MVP: Bills QB Josh Allen
Josh Allen won the playoff battle against Lamar Jackson. Now, the Buffalo Bills quarterback has bested his counterpart on the Baltimore Ravens on another front.
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On Thursday at NFL Honors in New Orleans, Allen was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player for the 2024 season.
Allen won the award for the first time in his career after finishing second to Aaron Rodgers in 2020 as well as third in 2022 and fifth in 2023. He becomes the Bills’ third winner following O.J. Simpson in 1973 and Thurman Thomas in 1991.
Allen is also the first player since Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway in 1987 to be chosen as the outright MVP despite not being named a first-team All-Pro. Jackson beat him out for that honor, with Allen taking the second-team slot.
NFL MVP voting
Walter Payton Man of the Year: Jaguars DE Arik Armstead
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Arik Armstead has been selected as the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year award for 2024.
Armstead established the Armstead Academic Project in 2019 to provide young students ‘with positive spaces, tools, and academic support to unlock their potential and achieve their goals.’
Armstead has been active in the Jacksonville community after signing with the team in March as well as in San Francisco and his hometown of Sacramento throughout his career.
A five-time Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, Armstead becomes the second Jaguars player in the last six years to win the award after Calais Campbell took it home in the 2019 season.
“Arik’s leadership, dedication to his team, and commitment to his community truly embody Walter Payton’s enduring legacy of excellence on the field and compassion off it,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “Since joining the league 10 years ago, Arik has made it his mission to empower youth by providing them with the resources and support they need to thrive. We are extremely proud to name Arik Armstead as our 2024 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.’
NFL Coach of the Year: Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell
Minnesota Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell is being honored after navigating a year of substantial change.
In his third year at the helm, O’Connell led the Vikings to their second-most wins (14) in franchise history despite subbing in quarterback Sam Darnold for Kirk Cousins, who left in free agency. Darnold threw for a career-high 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns for a team that came within one game of securing the NFC’s top playoff seed.
O’Connell beat out the Detroit Lions’ Dan Campbell, Denver Broncos’ Sean Payton Washington Commanders Dan Quinn and Kansas City Chiefs’ Andy Reid.
NFL Coach of the Year voting
Kevin O’Connell: 25 first-place votes
Dan Campbell: 19
Andy Reid: 4
Sean Payton: 1
Dan Quinn: 1
Pro Football Hall of Fame 2025 class
Eric Allen
Jared Allen
Antonio Gates
Sterling Sharpe
That means no Eli Manning for the smallest class since 2005. Among the other notable snubs were Terrell Suggs, Luke Kuechly, Adam Vinatieri and Marshal Yanda, as well as coaching finalist Mike Holmgren.
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year: Rams OLB Jared Verse
Jared Verse began his NFL career as the fourth defensive player taken in the 2024 NFL draft, but he’s ending it by finishing first in another measure.
The Los Angeles Rams outside linebacker was named the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Verse, the No. 19 overall pick out of Florida State, stepped in to help fill the massive void left in the Rams’ pass rush by Aaron Donald’s retirement. He recorded 66 tackles with 4 ½ sacks and led all rookies with 18 quarterback hits and 77 pressures. He came on strong in the playoffs, returning a fumble 57 yards for a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings and notching two sacks against the Philadelphia Eagles in the divisional round.
Verse beat out Eagles cornerbacks Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell, Miami Dolphins edge rusher Chop Robinson and Rams teammate Braden Fiske for the honor.
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting
NFL Comeback Player of the Year: Bengals QB Joe Burrow
Joe Burrow will leave NFL Honors with one piece of hardware.
The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback, who was also a finalist for MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award.
Burrow led the NFL in passing yards (4,918) and touchdowns (43) after tearing a ligament in his wrist in 2023, forcing him to miss the final seven games of the season. Having also won the award in 2021 after returning from a torn ACL that cut short his rookie season, he becomes just the second two-time winner after Chad Pennington, who claimed it with the New York Jets in 2006 and Miami Dolphins in 2008.
The other finalists for the award were Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold, Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins, New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez and Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin.
‘I don’t think anybody was playing any better than I was this year,’ Burrow said. ‘I doubt I win the award, but I think I was playing my best ball.’
NFL Comeback Player of the Year voting
NFL Offensive Player of the Year: Eagles RB Saquon Barkley
Before he makes his push for the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday, Saquon Barkley claimed another piece of hardware.
After signing a three-year contract with the Eagles in March, Barkley took over as offensive engine for the eventual NFC champions. With 2,005 yards on the year, he came within striking distance of Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards, but Eagles coach Nick Sirianni sat him for the Week 18 matchup given that Philadelphia was locked into the No. 2 seed in the playoffs.
Barkley can make more history on Sunday, as he is just 30 yards away from breaking Terrell Davis’ record for rushing yards in a single season including the playoffs (2,476) after racking up 442 yards in his first three postseason games.
NFL Offensive Player of the Year voting
Saquon Barkley: 35 first-place votes
Lamar Jackson: 12
Derrick Henry: 1
Joe Burrow: 1
Josh Allen: 1
NFL Defensive Player of the Year: Broncos CB Pat Surtain II
Pat Surtain II is adding an honor few of his positional peers throughout recent NFL history can claim.
The Denver Broncos cornerback was named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year for 2024. Surtain becomes just the third cornerback since 1995 to win the award, following Charles Woodson in 2009 and Stephon Gilmore in 2019.
The other finalists were Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt, Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett and Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson.
Surtain was a key piece of the Broncos’ defensive surge, which helped Denver break an eight-year playoff drought that ranked as the league’s second longest active absence from the postseason. He recorded four interceptions and 11 passes defensed while providing a lockdown presence on the back end of the unit.
‘This is a surreal feeling, honestly,’ Surtain said after accepting the award. ‘This is something that I worked for this offseason and I manifested it. To see it happen is a dream come true, honestly. I’m very grateful and blessed. It’s all technique and film study and all being the best version of myself.’
NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: Commanders QB Jayden Daniels
The NFL’s most obvious award choice is now official.
Daniels narrowly missed out on a unanimous win, with Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers claiming one of the 50 votes.
The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner and No. 2 pick in last year’s draft was the catalyst of a remarkable turnaround for Washington, which went from 4-13 last year to 12-5 in Daniels and coach Dan Quinn’s first season. While Daniels won the award for his regular-season accomplishments, he continued to make his mark in the postseason, helping the Commanders win their first playoff game in 19 years with a close call against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He then engineered an upset of the top-seeded Detroit Lions to push the team to its first NFC title game in 33 years.
Daniels’ 14 games won including the postseason tied Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers, 2004) for the most by a rookie, and he became just the fourth first-year quarterback to win multiple playoff games.
Along the way, Daniels set the marks for highest completion rate by a qualified rookie quarterback (69%) and rushing yards in a season by a first-year passer (891). His 100.1 passer rating also stands as the fourth-highest mark for a player in his opening campaign.
‘It means a lot,’ Daniels said after winning the award. ‘Everybody was deserving finalists for Offensive Rookie of the Year. It’s a blessing and an honor. It’s nothing but hard work and preparation. When you lock in for one year, your life can change.’
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year voting
Jayden Daniels: 49 first-place votes
Brock Bowers: 1
What time is NFL Honors?
NFL Honors will be held at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, Feb. 6.
How can I watch NFL Honors? TV info, channel
NFL Honors will be broadcast live on FOX and NFL Network, and it also will be available to stream on NFL+ and Fubo.
Who is hosting NFL Honors?
Snoop Dogg will host the awards ceremony.
NFL MVP finalists
Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions
Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
NFL Offensive Player of the Year finalists
Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
NFL Defensive Player of the Year finalists
Zack Baun, LB, Philadelphia Eagles
Myles Garrett, DE, Cleveland Browns
Trey Hendrickson, DE, Cincinnati Bengals
Patrick Surtain II, CB, Denver Broncos
T.J. Watt, LB, Pittsburgh Steelers
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year finalists
Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders
Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants
Bo Nix, QB, Denver Broncos
Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year finalists
Cooper DeJean, CB, Philadelphia Eagles
Braden Fiske, DE, Los Angeles Rams
Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Philadelphia Eagles
Chop Robinson, LB, Miami Dolphins
Jared Verse, LB, Los Angeles Rams
NFL Comeback Player of the Year finalists
Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
Sam Darnold, QB, Minnesota Vikings
J.K. Dobbins, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
Christian Gonzalez, CB, New England Patriots
Damar Hamlin, S, Buffalo Bills
NFL Coach of the Year finalists
Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions
Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota Vikings
Sean Payton, Denver Broncos
Dan Quinn, Washington Commanders
Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs
NFL Assistant Coach of the Year finalists
Joe Brady, offensive coordinator, Buffalo Bills
Vic Fangio, defensive coordinator, Philadelphia Eagles
Brian Flores, defensive coordinator, Minnesota Vikings
Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator, Detroit Lions
Ben Johnson, offensive coordinator, Detroit Lions
Which awards will be handed out at NFL Honors?
AP Most Valuable Player
AP Coach of the Year
AP Comeback Player of the Year
AP Offensive Player of the Year
AP Defensive Player of the Year
AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
AP Defensive Rookie of the Year
Next Gen Stats Moment of the Year
Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year
NFL Inspire Change Tribute
Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024
FedEx Air & Ground Players of the Year
Salute to Service Award
NFL Latino Youth Honors
Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award
Deacon Jones Sack Leader Award
AP Assistant Coach of the Year
NFL Fan of the Year
NFL FLAG Players of the Year award
