The 2023 NFL season was an exhilarating time for each team trying to compete for the Super Bowl. Players and teams outshined their competitors often this season which earned them nominations for AP Awards, usually given out during NFL Honors.
NFL Honors, which debuted in 2012, also features the announcement of the prestigious Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year presented by Nationwide and the newest Pro Football Hall of Fame Class the week leading up to the Super Bowl.
NFL Honors is an NFL Network production in association with Rock Garden Media. For more information about NFL Honors presented by Invisalign, fans may visit www.nfl.com/honors and follow the #NFLHonors conversation on X.
Check out how each of the players and teams ended up in their position.
AP Most Valuable Player presented by Invisalign
QB Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Allen helped the team to an 11-6 record. He threw 385-of-579 passes for 4,306 yards and 29 touchdowns. Allen also has a career high 18 interceptions.
QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Jackson helped the Ravens get to a 13-3 record. He threw 307-of-457 for 3,678 yards and 24 touchdowns. Jackson only had seven interceptions and was selected to the Pro Bowl and First-Team AP All-Pro.
RB Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
McCaffrey had 272 carries for 1,459 yards and 14 touchdowns. He had a 72 yard long rush. On the receiving side, McCaffrey went 67-of-83 receptions for 564 yards and seven touchdowns. He also make the Pro Bowl and First-Team AP All-Pro.
QB Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Prescott helped the team get to their 12-5 record . He threw 410-of-590 for 4,516 yards and 36 touchdowns. He also had nine interceptions, showing significant improvement from last year. Prescott was also selected to the Pro Bowl.
QB Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Purdy helped the 49ers get back to the playoffs with a 12-4 record. H threw 208-of-444 yards for 4,289 yards and 31 touchdowns. He also has 11 interceptions. Purdy was also selected to the Pro Bowl.
AP Coach of the Year presented by Verizon
Dan Campbell, Detroit Lions
The Lions got their first NFC North title in ages. They solidified a 12-5 record that got them all the way to the NFC Championship under Campbell’s impeccable coaching.
John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens got the AFC North since 2019 and the No. 1 seed for the second time in franchise history. They earned a 13-4 record that landed them a spot in the AFC Championship.
DeMeco Ryans, Texans
The Texans found themselves in the playoffs once again with a 10-7 record and taking the AFC South title. DeMeco Ryans coaching should be highlighted here for how well C.J. Stroud was able to do in the Texans short playoff run.
Kyle Shanahan, 49ers
Shanahan helped the 49ers get back to the NFC Championship and winning the NFC West title in back-to-back years. Their 12-5 record paired with a fantastic offense helped the 49ers get back to the NFC Championship.
Kevin Stefanski, Browns
Stefanski’s Cleveland Browns got second in the AFC North with an 11-6 record. This also allowed them a chance to vye for the Super Bowl during their short playoff run.
AP Offensive Player of the Year presented by Microsoft Surface
WR Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins
Hill was a huge help in getting the Dolphins back in shape. He went 119-of-171 receptions for 1,799 yards and 13 touchdowns. H also had six rush attempts for 15 yards. Hill was selected to the Pro Bowl and First-Team AP All-Pro.
QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Jackson helped the Ravens get to a 13-3 record. He threw 307-of-457 for 3,678 yards and 24 touchdowns. Jackson only had seven interceptions and was selected to the Pro Bowl and First-Team AP All-Pro.
RB Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
McCaffrey had 272 carries for 1,459 yards and 14 touchdowns. He had a 72 yard long rush. On the receiving side, McCaffrey went 67-of-83 receptions for 564 yards and seven touchdowns. He also make the Pro Bowl and First-Team AP All-Pro.
QB Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Prescott helped the team get to their 12-5 record . He threw 410-of-590 for 4,516 yards and 36 touchdowns. He also had nine interceptions, showing significant improvement from last year. Prescott was also selected to the Pro Bowl.
WR CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
Lamb was a crucial part of the Cowboys’ success this season. He went 135-of-181 for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also had 14 rushing attempts for 113 yards and two touchdowns.
AP Defensive Player of the Year presented by TCL
CB DaRon Bland, Dallas Cowboys
Bland had a dark horse season being a key defensive talent for the Cowboys. He had nine interceptions for 209 yards. Bland had 53 solo tackles, 16 assists, 13 tackles-for-loss and one quarterback hit. For his sensational season, he was selected to the Pro Bowl and First-Team AP All-Pro.
DE Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas Raiders
Crosby had a great season again with the Raiders. He had two pass deflects, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He put up high numbers with 55 solo tackles, 35 assists, 23 tackles-for-loss and 31 quarterback hits. Crosby was selected to the Pro Bowl as well.
DE Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
Garrett had a another great season with the Cleveland Browns, being one of many key players on the Browns defense. He had three pass deflects, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He also had 33 solo tackles, 9 assists and 30 quarterback hits. Because of this, Garrett was selected to the Pro Bowl and First-Team AP All-Pro.
LB Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys
Parsons continues to dominate for the Cowboys, being a key Cowboys defensive star. Parsons had two pass deflects, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He also had 36 solo tackles, 28 assists, 18 tackles-for-loss and 33 quarterback hits. Parsons was also selected to the Pro Bowl.
LB TJ Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers
Watt had one interception, eight pass deflects, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He also had 48 solo tackles, 20 assists, 19 tackles-for-loss and 36 quarterback hits.
AP Comeback Player of the Year presented by P&G and the Official Locker Room Products of the NFL (Gillette, Head & Shoulders, Old Spice, Tide)
QB Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns
Flacco came back from a tough season before to put up good numbers with the Browns. Flacco went 123-of-204 for 1616 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
S Damar Hamlin, Buffalo Bills
Besides coming back from cardiac arrest just one year ago, Hamlin also put up two solo tackles this season.
QB Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mayfield moved on from the Browns and instantly improved this season. He went 364-of-566 for 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
QB Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Stafford also moved on from a previous scheme and things fell into place with the Rams. He went 326-of-521 for 3,965 yards, 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He was also selected to the Pro Bowl.
QB Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
Tagovailoa is another candidate who came back from a harsh string of injuries last season. With the help of some of his offensive weapons, Tagovailoa went 388-of-560 for 4,624 yards, 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He was also selected to the Pro Bowl.
AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions
Gibbs had 182 rushing attempts for 945 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also went 52-of-71 receptions for 316 yards and one touchdown.
TE Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions
LaPorta went 86-of-120 for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also had one rushing attempt for four yards.
WR Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
Nacua went 105-of-160 for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns. He also had 12 rush attempts for 89 yards. Nacua was also selected to the Pro Bowl.
RB Bijan Robinson, Washington Commanders
Robinson had 214 attempts for 976 yards and four touchdowns. He also went 58-of-86 for 487 yards and four touchdowns.
QB C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
Stroud helped the Texans get to the playoffs for the first time in years. He went 319-of-499 for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns and five interceptions.
AP Defensive Rookie of the Year
DE Will Anderson, Houston Texans
Anderson had one pass deflection, 29 solo tackles, 16 assists, 10 tackles-for-loss and 22 quarterback hits in just his rookie season.
DT Jalen Carter, Philadelphia Eagles
Carter had two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, 20 solo tackles, 13 assists, eight tackles-for-loss and nine quarterback hits.
CB Joey Porter Jr, Pittsburgh Steelers
Porter Jr. had one interception, 32 solo tackles, 11 assists and one tackle-for-loss.
DT Kobie Turner, Los Angeles Rams
Turner had two pass deflections, 29 solo tackles, 28 assists, eight tackles-for-loss and 16 quarterback hits.
CB Devon Witherspoon, Seattle Seahawks
Witherspoon had one interception, 16 pass deflects, one forced fumble, 56 solo tackles, 23 assists, eight tackles-for-loss and four quarterback hits.
On Thursday, Feb. 8, the NFL Honors Red Carpet Show presented by Invisalign airs at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NFL Network leading up to NFL Honors. Local blackout restrictions may apply. CBS Sports will present Super Bowl LVIII on CBS, Paramount+ and Nickelodeon on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024.
Check out more NFL postseason news and analysis on FirstAndJenn.com.
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