Look, the NFL schedule is a beast. You’ve got the regular season, the playoffs, and that weird week of Pro Bowl festivities that honestly feels like a fever dream. But if you’re looking for the night where the real hardware gets handed out—the night we find out who actually wins the MVP and who gets snubbed—you’re looking for the nfl awards 2025 date.
People always mess this up. They think it’s the night before the Super Bowl or maybe the Monday after.
It’s not.
The 14th annual NFL Honors, which is the official name for the big awards show, happened on Thursday, February 6, 2025. It went down at the Saenger Theater in New Orleans. If you’re a fan of the "Big Easy," you know that place has some serious soul. It was the perfect backdrop for a night that felt a lot less corporate and a lot more like a party, thanks to the host.
Why the NFL Awards 2025 Date Actually Mattered This Year
Timing is everything in football. Usually, the awards ceremony is tucked away on a Saturday night. This year? The NFL leaned into the Thursday night primetime slot, airing it live at 9 p.m. ET on FOX and NFL Network.
Why do we care?
Because by the time February 6th rolled around, the Super Bowl matchup was already set. We were just days away from Super Bowl LIX. The tension was thick enough to cut with a steak knife. You had guys like Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson sitting in that theater, and while the MVP trophy is nice, you know they’d trade it in a heartbeat for a ring.
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Honestly, the energy was different this time. Having Snoop Dogg host the thing changed the entire vibe. Usually, these shows can be a bit... stiff. A little too "yes, sir, thank you, sir." Snoop brought that West Coast energy to New Orleans, and it worked.
The Big Winners and the Snubs We’re Still Talking About
If you missed the broadcast on that nfl awards 2025 date, here is the quick and dirty version of what happened.
Josh Allen finally did it. The Buffalo Bills quarterback took home the AP NFL Most Valuable Player award. For years, Allen has been the "almost" guy—the guy who plays hero ball but falls just short of the hardware. Not this time. He was a force of nature all season, and the voters finally gave him his flowers.
But let’s talk about the Offensive Player of the Year. Saquon Barkley, now wearing Philadelphia Eagles green, absolutely tore the league apart. Seeing him win OPOY felt like a "we told you so" to everyone who thought he was washed after the injuries in New York.
On the defensive side, Patrick Surtain II from the Denver Broncos grabbed the DPOY. It’s rare to see a cornerback win it over a pass rusher like T.J. Watt or Myles Garrett. Usually, the voters just look at sack totals and call it a day. Surtain being recognized shows that the league is starting to value "lockdown" ability over just pure stat-padding.
Breaking Down the 2025 Rookie Class
The rookies this year were something else.
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Jayden Daniels, the Washington Commanders quarterback, was the unanimous choice for Offensive Rookie of the Year. The kid played like a ten-year veteran from Week 1. Then you have Jared Verse, the Rams' edge rusher, who took home Defensive Rookie of the Year.
It wasn't even close, really.
The Emotional High Points of the Night
The NFL Honors isn’t just about who ran the fastest or threw the most touchdowns. The most important award of the night—at least according to the players—is the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.
This year, Arik Armstead took it home.
The room always goes silent for this part. It’s the one time during the whole "nfl awards 2025 date" spectacle where nobody cares about fantasy stats or point spreads. It’s about the work these guys do when the cameras are off. Armstead’s work in the community has been legendary for years, and seeing him finally get that patch on his jersey was a moment.
Then there was the Comeback Player of the Year.
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Joe Burrow. After that brutal wrist injury basically ended his previous season, Burrow came back and looked like he hadn't missed a beat. He beat out Damar Hamlin and Sam Darnold for the spot. Some people thought Hamlin should have won it just for, you know, being on the field after everything he went through, but Burrow’s statistical dominance was too hard to ignore.
How to Catch Up if You Missed It
If you’re sitting there thinking, "Wait, I totally missed the live show," don’t sweat it. You can still find the full ceremony or at least the highlight reels on NFL+.
The show ran for about two hours. It wasn't just awards; they also announced the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025. Seeing the legends walk out on that stage at the Saenger Theater? Chills.
What to Watch for Next
The 2024 season is officially in the history books now that the awards are handed out. But the cycle never stops. If you're looking to dive deeper into how these awards are decided or what the 2026 race looks like, you should start tracking the All-Pro lists that come out right before the honors.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans:
- Check the All-Pro Lists: Go back and compare the AP All-Pro first-team selections with the award winners. You’ll notice some weird discrepancies that explain why certain guys like T.J. Watt might have felt snubbed for DPOY.
- Watch the Hall of Fame Speeches: The induction ceremony won't happen until August in Canton, but the announcement on February 6th kicked off the celebration. Look up the 15 modern-era finalists to see who got in and who is still waiting.
- Update Your Jersey: If your favorite player won a major award, especially Walter Payton Man of the Year, keep an eye out for the special jersey patches or commemorative gear that usually drops right after the ceremony.
- Follow the AP Voters: Most people don't realize only 50 people decide these awards. Find the list of Associated Press voters on X (formerly Twitter) to see their individual ballots; many of them publish their reasoning, which is fascinating if you like the "inside baseball" aspect of the league.
The nfl awards 2025 date marked the end of an era for some and the beginning of a legacy for guys like Jayden Daniels and Josh Allen. New Orleans was a great host, but the focus now shifts toward the draft and doing it all over again.