Mike Vrabel is the AP NFL Coach of the Year. MVP remains to be announced

Myles Garrett was a unanimous choice for the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year award after setting a season record for sacks with 23.

Christian McCaffrey became the first running back to win the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year award in 24 years.

Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan ran away with the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels won the AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year award in the first season of his third stint with the team.

Vrabel, the 2021 Coach of the Year winner with the Titans, led the Patriots from worst to first in the AFC East, a 10-win turnaround in his first season in New England.

Coen had 239 points after leading the Jacksonville Jaguars to 13 wins and an AFC South title in his first season.

Seattle’s Mike Macdonald got eight first-place votes and finished third (191). Chicago’s Ben Johnson received one first-place vote and came in fourth (145). San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan had six first-place votes to place fifth (140).

The awards were among eight scheduled to be announced at NFL Honors on Thursday night, including The Associated Press 2025 NFL Most Valuable Player award.

McCaffrey, Josh Allen, Trevor Lawrence, Drake Maye and Matthew Stafford are in the running for MVP.

A nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league completed voting before the playoffs began. Votes were tabulated by the accounting firm Lutz and Carr.

Voters selected a top 5 for the eight AP NFL awards. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second- through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.

Defensive Player of the Year

Garrett received all 50 first-place votes to become the ninth player to win DPOY multiple times and second unanimous choice following J.J. Watt, who did it in 2014. Cleveland’s edge rusher also was a unanimous All-Pro selection. Garrett previously won the award in 2023.

“It doesn’t just start with me,” he said. “It starts with great teammates, a great organization, great coaches being able to put us in position. I’m thankful for every single one of teammates to help get me up here. It’s not possible without them.”

Texans edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. finished second with 77 points, Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons came in third (63) followed by Broncos edge rusher Nik Bonitto (52) and Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson (42).

Garrett surpassed both Michael Strahan (22.5) and T.J. Watt (22.5) when he sacked Joe Burrow in the final game of the regular season.

Comeback Player of the Year

McCaffrey, San Francisco’s All-Pro do-it-all back, received 31 first-place votes and 395 points, outgaining Aidan Hutchinson. Garrison Hearst was the last running back to win it in 2001.

Hutchinson got nine first-place votes and 221 points. Dak Prescott came in third with six first-place votes and 167 points. Lawrence got two first-place votes and finished fourth (130). Stefon Diggs came in fifth (40).

Philip Rivers and Chris Olave each received one first-place vote.

McCaffrey played in just four games in 2024 due to bilateral Achilles tendinitis followed by a season-ending PCL knee injury. He returned to play every game for the 49ers and had 2,126 yards from scrimmage and 17 TDs.

Offensive Rookie of the Year

McMillan earned 41 first-place votes after catching 70 passes for 1,014 yards and seven TDs.

Saints quarterback Tyler Shough got five first-place votes and finished second with 168 points, way behind McMillan’s 445.

Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson and Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart each got one first-place vote. Seahawks offensive lineman Grey Zabel got two.

Henderson finished third (111), Dart (88) was fourth and Buccaneers wideout Emeka Egbuka (66) was fifth.

Assistant Coach of the Year

McDaniels received 17 of 50 first-place votes and finished with 249 points. Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph placed second with 10 first-place votes and 176 points.

Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores got eight first-place votes, finishing third (130). Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio received four and came in fifth place (78) behind Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who had three first-place votes and 102 points.

Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke (3), former 49ers defensive coordinator and now Titans coach Robert Saleh (2), Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile (2) and Bills offensive line coach Aaron Kromer (1) also got first-place votes.  

AP Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow contributed.

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