FOXBORO, MASS. (WHDH) – The Patriots racked up several NFL Honors nominations just ahead of the AFC Championship game against the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
Second year quarterback (QB) Drake Maye earned two nominations as an MVP finalist and Offensive Player of the Year finalist.
The 23-year-old generated MVP buzz all season long, leading the Pats to a 14-3 record and ultimately the AFC Championship, their first since 2018.
Maye finished the regular season with a 72% completion percentage, 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns. Maye was named an MVP finalist alongside reigning NFL MVP, Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen, Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence, San Francisco 49ers running back (RB) Christian McCaffrey, and Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford.
If Maye wins MVP, he’d become only the eighth player in NFL history to win the award before their age 25 season.
Maye will also go up against McCaffrey for the Offensive Player of the Year. Along with McCaffrey and Maye, the other finalists include Rams wide receiver (WR) Puka Nacua, Atlanta Falcons RB Bijan Robinson, and Seattle Seahawks WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
WR Stefon Diggs earned himself a Comeback Player of the Year nomination in his first season with New England.
After only appearing in eight games last season with the Houston Texans due to injury, Diggs bounced back with the Pats, finishing the regular season with 85 receptions, 1,013 yards and four touchdowns.
Diggs will go up against Lawrence, McCaffrey, Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott for the award.
Rookie RB TreVeyon Henderson was named an Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist after finishing the season with 911 yards on 180 carries and nine touchdowns. Henderson goes up against New York Giants QB Jaxson Dart, Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR Emeka Egbuka, Carolina Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan and New Orleans Saints QB Tyler Shough.
In his first season at the helm, head coach Mike Vrabel earned a nomination for Coach of the Year. Under Vrabel, the Patriots won the ACF East, going 14-3 after finishing with four wins the past two seasons, missing the playoffs completely. Vrabel won Coach of the Year in 2021 during his time with the Tennessee Titans.
Vrabel was nominated alongside Jaguars head coach Liam Cohen, Ben Johnson of the Chicago Bears, Mike Macdonald with the Seahawks, and Kyle Shanahan with the 49ers.
After returning to the Pats as offensive coordinator for his third stint, Josh McDaniels earned himself an Assistant Coach of the Year nomination. He’ll go up against Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, and Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
The winners will be announced on Thursday, February 5, at the NFL Honors.
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