{"id":18098,"date":"2026-02-06T02:06:23","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T02:06:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/2026-nfl-honors-red-carpet\/"},"modified":"2026-02-06T02:06:23","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T02:06:23","slug":"2026-nfl-honors-red-carpet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/2026-nfl-honors-red-carpet\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 NFL Honors live updates: Athletes nominated for AP NFL awards set to arrive on the red carpet &#8211; AP News"},"content":{"rendered":"<article>\n<p><strong>Lead:<\/strong> The 15th annual NFL Honors ceremony convened in San Francisco on Feb. 5, 2026, with host Jon Hamm presiding over the red carpet arrivals and the presentation of The Associated Press\u2019 eight league awards. Nominees for the AP honors \u2014 selected by a nationwide panel of 50 media members and tabulated by the accounting firm Lutz and Carr \u2014 included five finalists for MVP and five finalists for Coach of the Year. The event precedes Super Bowl 60 at Levi\u2019s Stadium and will be broadcast at 9 p.m. ET on NBC and NFL Network, with streaming via Peacock and NFL+. Winners were announced throughout the evening as athletes, coaches and personalities gathered for the league\u2019s annual celebration.<\/p>\n<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The AP hands out eight official NFL awards each year; voting was completed before the playoffs by a 50-member national media panel.<\/li>\n<li>MVP finalists are Christian McCaffrey, Josh Allen, Trevor Lawrence, Drake Maye and Matthew Stafford \u2014 Maye led the league in passer rating (113.5) and completion percentage (72%).<\/li>\n<li>Coach of the Year finalists are Liam Coen, Ben Johnson, Mike Macdonald, Kyle Shanahan and Mike Vrabel.<\/li>\n<li>Assistant Coach of the Year was awarded to Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who received 17 of 50 first-place votes and finished with 249 points; runner-up Vance Joseph had 10 first-place votes and 176 points.<\/li>\n<li>Christian McCaffrey finished the regular season with 1,202 rushing yards and 10 rushing TDs, plus 102 catches for 924 yards and seven receiving TDs.<\/li>\n<li>Matthew Stafford led the NFL with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns; Drake Maye threw for 4,394 yards with 31 TDs and eight interceptions.<\/li>\n<li>The ceremony doubled as a cultural moment: host Jon Hamm reflected on Bad Bunny\u2019s halftime headline and the broad spotlight Super Bowl week brings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Background<\/h2>\n<p>The NFL Honors began as an annual awards show to recognize individual excellence across the league; the 2026 edition marks the ceremony\u2019s 15th year. The Associated Press awards are widely regarded as the NFL\u2019s principal media-determined honors and are decided by a panel of 50 journalists who cover the league nationally. Votes are collected and tabulated by an independent accounting firm, Lutz and Carr; results are announced at the Honors show prior to the Super Bowl.<\/p>\n<p>Over time the Honors event has become a distinct cultural fixture during Super Bowl week, drawing not only players and coaches but entertainers and media figures for a red carpet spectacle. This year\u2019s ceremony arrived as Super Bowl 60 week culminated in Santa Clara, where the Patriots and Seahawks prepared to face off at Levi\u2019s Stadium. The event serves both to celebrate statistical, coaching and comeback achievements and to spotlight personalities whose seasons stood out outside of postseason success.<\/p>\n<h2>Main Event<\/h2>\n<p>Red carpet arrivals in San Francisco featured finalists and nominees from across the league. Photographers captured moments from Jeffery Simmons, Dion Dawkins and Kendrick Bourne to Puka Nacua \u2014 who walked the carpet with his mother \u2014 and Matthew Stafford arriving with family. Players used the spotlight to reflect on the season, their teams and what the nominations mean for them personally.<\/p>\n<p>Onstage and in brief interviews, nominees described seasons that ranged from career peaks to franchise turnarounds. Christian McCaffrey described the year as an &#8220;emotional roller coaster&#8221; while emphasizing team pride; Matthew Stafford characterized an MVP award as a meaningful capstone to a long, productive career. Drake Maye credited his supporting cast for his breakout numbers that included leading the league in passer rating and completion rate.<\/p>\n<p>The AP Assistant Coach of the Year award was announced midshow: Josh McDaniels earned the honor in his first season back with the Patriots, taking 17 first-place votes and 249 total points. Vote distributions for other awards were released in part; several first-place votes went to coordinators and position coaches around the league, underscoring how coaching staffs factored into voters\u2019 thinking.<\/p>\n<h2>Analysis &#038; Implications<\/h2>\n<p>The AP awards carry reputational weight: an MVP or Coach of the Year honor can change how a player or coach is viewed historically and can affect contract narratives, Hall of Fame conversations and offseason media coverage. For Matthew Stafford, an MVP would punctuate a long career of elite passing production; for a younger name like Drake Maye or Trevor Lawrence, an AP nod signals arrival in the league\u2019s upper echelon and can shift franchise expectations.<\/p>\n<p>Coaching honors matter beyond trophies. Candidates such as Liam Coen (13-4 turnaround in Jacksonville) and Mike Macdonald (14-3 regular-season Seahawks) showcased different models for success \u2014 rapid rebuild vs. defensive foundation \u2014 that teams may emulate in hiring and strategy decisions. Ben Johnson\u2019s quick rise in Chicago underscores how offensive innovation and culture change can yield quick dividends, shaping future staffing trends across the league.<\/p>\n<p>Statistical winners like Christian McCaffrey \u2014 a finalist in three AP categories this year \u2014 highlight the NFL\u2019s increasing valuation of multi-dimensional skill players. That trend can influence roster construction and salary negotiations as teams prioritize versatility. Finally, the public nature of the Honors, broadcast during Super Bowl week, amplifies players\u2019 marketability and cross-industry opportunities, from endorsements to media projects.<\/p>\n<h2>Comparison &#038; Data<\/h2>\n<figure>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Player<\/th>\n<th>Passing Yards<\/th>\n<th>Passing TDs<\/th>\n<th>INTs<\/th>\n<th>Other<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Drake Maye<\/td>\n<td>4,394<\/td>\n<td>31<\/td>\n<td>8<\/td>\n<td>Led NFL in passer rating (113.5), 72% comp.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Matthew Stafford<\/td>\n<td>4,707<\/td>\n<td>46<\/td>\n<td>8<\/td>\n<td>Led league in passing yards.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Trevor Lawrence<\/td>\n<td>4,007<\/td>\n<td>29<\/td>\n<td>12<\/td>\n<td>First-time MVP finalist.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Josh Allen<\/td>\n<td>3,668<\/td>\n<td>25<\/td>\n<td>10<\/td>\n<td>Added 14 rushing TDs; 102.2 passer rating.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The table compares key passing metrics for MVP finalists; Christian McCaffrey is shown elsewhere in the article due to his dual rushing\/receiving role. Those primary numbers were central to voters\u2019 evaluations, but context \u2014 team records, injury adversity, and leadership \u2014 also influenced selections.<\/p>\n<h2>Reactions &#038; Quotes<\/h2>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;He was beautifully eloquent. \u2026 He\u2019s a very intelligent guy. He\u2019s a wonderful artist, number one streamed artist in the world for a reason.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><cite>Jon Hamm, host \u2014 on Bad Bunny<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Hamm used the platform to connect Super Bowl cultural moments to the Honors, praising Bad Bunny\u2019s artistic achievements and noting the wider attention the halftime act brings to the week.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;I just try to be me, and sometimes that\u2019s good enough, sometimes it\u2019s not. But I try to learn from every person, every great coach that I\u2019ve been around, and try to make it my own style.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><cite>Mike Vrabel, Patriots head coach<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Vrabel, a Coach of the Year finalist, framed his rapid team turnaround as the result of iterative learning and consistency rather than a single tactical innovation.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;This is, in all my years playing, the proudest I\u2019ve ever been to be a part of a team.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><cite>Christian McCaffrey, 49ers running back<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>McCaffrey emphasized team accomplishment amid an individually dominant season in which he was a finalist for multiple AP awards.<\/p>\n<aside>\n<details>\n<summary>Explainer: How the AP NFL awards are decided<\/summary>\n<p>The Associated Press awards are determined annually by a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the NFL. Voting is completed before the playoffs to capture regular-season performance only; ballots are submitted to an independent accounting firm, Lutz and Carr, for tabulation. The AP awards include categories such as Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Year, Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year, Comeback Player, and Assistant Coach. While advanced statistics inform evaluations, voters also weigh team success, leadership and the degree to which a player or coach contributed to that success. These awards are considered a key historical record because the AP designation is cited in Hall of Fame discussions and career summaries.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/aside>\n<h2>Unconfirmed<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>The full vote breakdown for every AP category beyond the Assistant Coach award had not been released publicly at press time.<\/li>\n<li>No official confirmation was available on whether any winner tonight will also take home other major league honors announced separately by other organizations.<\/li>\n<li>Reports of offstage interactions or informal agreements among voters are unverified and have not been substantiated by primary sources.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Bottom Line<\/h2>\n<p>The 2026 NFL Honors functioned as both an awards night and a weeklong cultural showcase ahead of Super Bowl 60, spotlighting individual seasons that shaped narratives heading into the championship game. AP award winners and finalists will carry these distinctions into offseason conversations about contracts, legacies and Hall of Fame candidacies.<\/p>\n<p>For franchises and personnel departments, the ceremony underscores what voters reward: statistical excellence blended with team impact and narrative significance. As fans shift focus to the Super Bowl itself, these acknowledgments will persist as reference points for how the 2025 regular season is remembered.<\/p>\n<h2>Sources<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/live\/ap-nfl-honors-awards-2026-updates\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AP News \u2014 live coverage and reporting on NFL Honors (news)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nfl.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NFL.com \u2014 league information and broadcast partners (official)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.profootballhof.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pro Football Hall of Fame \u2014 institutional context on awards and legacies (organization)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lead: The 15th annual NFL Honors ceremony convened in San Francisco on Feb. 5, 2026, with host Jon Hamm presiding over the red carpet arrivals and the presentation of The Associated Press\u2019 eight league awards. Nominees for the AP honors \u2014 selected by a nationwide panel of 50 media members and tabulated by the accounting &#8230; <a title=\"2026 NFL Honors live updates: Athletes nominated for AP NFL awards set to arrive on the red carpet &#8211; AP News\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/2026-nfl-honors-red-carpet\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about 2026 NFL Honors live updates: Athletes nominated for AP NFL awards set to arrive on the red carpet &#8211; AP News\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18095,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_title":"2026 NFL Honors \u2014 AP awards night coverage | Insight","rank_math_description":"Live coverage of the 2026 NFL Honors in San Francisco: red carpet arrivals, AP award finalists (MVP, Coach of the Year), winners, quotes and expert analysis.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"NFL Honors,AP NFL awards,AP MVP,red carpet,Super Bowl 60","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18098","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18098","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18098"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18098\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18095"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18098"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18098"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readtrends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18098"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}