Last week the NFL held its annual “NFL Honors” award ceremony before the Super Bowl, and for the first time in what seems like a long time the NFL got the awards right. 

Last year consisted of multiple controversial award winners including Kevin Stefanski, head coach of the Cleveland Browns, winning coach of the year over DeMeco Ryans and Myles Garrett winning defensive player of the year over TJ Watt who led in every statistical category a player can have.

Here are the most important awards the NFL got right this year, in my opinion:

Josh Allen won league MVP. This award had two main contestants: Allen and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. The award is titled “Most Valuable Player”. If you were to take Allen away from the Buffalo Bills and Jackson from the Ravens, which team isn’t where they are now? While both teams would struggle, the Bills would not have had the success they had this year without Allen. 

Saquon Barkley won Offensive Player of the Year. Barkley ran for well over 300 carries, 2,005 yards, both of which led the NFL, and 13 rushing touchdowns. Profootballhof.com states, Barkley becomes just the ninth NFL running back to rush for over 2,000 yards and the first since 2012 when Adrian Peterson did it in his MVP season. When someone joins an elite group such as this and week after week has a highlight reel being posted, giving this person the award is a must. 

Jayden Daniels won Offensive Rookie of the Year which was pretty much a guarantee despite a light push from rookie tight end Brock Bowers from the Las Vegas Raiders. Daniels reset the rookie rushing yards record for a quarterback, which was originally held by Robert Griffin III. Daniels finished with over 3,500 yards passing, 25 passing touchdowns and led a Washington Commanders team to a 12-4 season and according to statmuse.com the first NFC Championship appearance for the first time since 1992. 

Here is a complete list of the Hall of Fame Class of 2025 and  award winners from the NFL Honors: 

• AP Coach of the Year: Kevin O’Connell
• AP Defensive Player of the Year: Patrick Surtain II
• Walter Payton Man of the Year: Arik Armstead
• AP Offensive Player of the Year: Saquon Barkey 
• AP Comeback Player of the Year: Joe Burrow
• AP Defensive Rookie of the Year: Jared Verse
• AP League MVP: Josh Allen  
• 2025 Hall of Fame Class: Eric Allen, Jared Allen, Antonio Gates, Sterling Sharpe

However, despite the awards, the overall production of the show was sub-par, including teleprompter mistakes while Justin Jefferson was reading, wrong names on the lower thirds for award winners, and taking the wrong camera shots of the incoming Hall of Fame class of 2025. 

It seems year after year the NFL Honors becomes more of a joke or a place for comedians and celebrities to crack jokes rather than focusing on the NFL season in review and enjoying the award winners. 

Something I hope the NFL and Fox look to better is the overall production and delivery of this award ceremony. This is a fun and exciting time for NFL athletes and their families, and at times it just does not look professional when mistakes are constantly made.