As the NFL season concludes and Super Bowl 59 approaches, it’s time for major individual NFL awards to be announced. For Sporting News, this means revealing the prestigious pro football honors, which are determined by peer voting from around the league. The process remained unchanged for 2024, with players selecting winners for Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year, and Rookie of the Year. A total of 927 ballots were cast for Offensive Player of the Year, the highest since player voting began in 2008.
Only head coaches voted for Coordinator of the Year and Coach of the Year, while front-office staff and personnel decision-makers voted for Executive of the Year. Participants were instructed not to select anyone from their own team. Electronic ballots were sent out across the league, with most teams casting their votes before the early-January deadline. Below are the results, some of which might surprise fans.
Offensive Player of the Year: Saquon Barkley, RB, Eagles
2024 stats: 345 carries, 2,005 rushing yards, 13 TDs; 33 receptions for 278 yards, 2 TDs
Barkley had an incredible season after joining the Eagles from NFC East rival Giants in free agency. He becomes only the second Eagles player to win Sporting News’ NFL Player of the Year, an honor first awarded in 1954, after quarterback Norm Van Brocklin in 1960. He is also the first Eagle to win since the award was divided into offensive and defensive honors in 2008. Barkley earned this distinction following his impressive rushing total and game-changing plays, leading the Eagles’ run-heavy offense. With 369 votes from his peers, he received nearly twice as many votes as second-place finisher Josh Allen (188 votes).
Defensive Player of the Year: Myles Garrett, EDGE, Browns
2024 stats: 14 sacks, 3 forced fumbles
Garrett is the first player since J.J. Watt in 2014-2015 to win Defensive Player of the Year in consecutive years. Despite the Browns’ defense faltering due to some instability in the back seven, Garrett maintained his dominance as a pass rusher and run disruptor, finishing with 14 sacks for the second straight season. He received 196 votes, outpacing his closest competitor, T.J. Watt of the Steelers, who garnered 121 votes.
Comeback Player of the Year: Sam Darnold, QB, Vikings
2024 stats: 4,319 passing yards, 35 TDs, 12 INTs, 7.9 yards per attempt, 66.2 completion percentage, 102.5 passer rating
Darnold is the second Vikings player to win the award since it began in 2008, joining Adrian Peterson (2012). The award has largely been dominated by quarterbacks in recent years, and Darnold’s impressive season following adversity earned him 503 votes, defeating Joe Burrow (144 votes) and Chargers running back JK Dobbins (109 votes). Darnold’s remarkable performance in Minnesota cemented his place as this year’s comeback recipient.
Rookie of the Year: Jayden Daniels, QB, Commanders
2024 stats: 3,568 passing yards, 25 passing TDs, 9 INTs, 7.4 yards per pass attempt, 69.0 completion percentage, 100.1 passer rating, 891 rushing yards, 6 rushing TDs
Daniels is the third player in Washington’s history to win this award, joining Robert Griffin III (2012) and Hall of Famer Charley Taylor (1964). He set rookie records for completion percentage and rushing yards by a QB, leading Washington to a 12-5 season and a playoff run. With 454 votes, Daniels won by a significant margin over Brock Bowers (218 votes). His dynamic dual-threat abilities and leadership have already placed him on the radar as a potential MVP candidate for 2025.
Coach of the Year: Kevin O’Connell, Vikings
O’Connell also earned Coordinator of the Year honors for his role in Minnesota’s potent offense, which ranked 12th in passing and 9th in scoring. At just 39 years old, O’Connell’s adjustments at quarterback and leadership in developing Sam Darnold earned him widespread respect. He received 14 votes, far surpassing runners-up Dan Campbell and Andy Reid (three votes each).
Coordinator of the Year: Ben Johnson, OC, Lions
Johnson earned this honor with 9 votes, defeating Vikings’ Brian Flores (3 votes) and Eagles’ Vic Fangio (2 votes). In his final season with Detroit, Johnson helped the Lions rank second in both average yards per game (409.5) and total passing yards (4,474). Johnson is set to take over as the Bears’ head coach, hoping to guide Caleb Williams to success.
Executive of the Year: Brad Holmes, GM, Lions
Holmes earned 9 votes, edging out tough competition from Brandon Beane (Bills), Eric DeCosta (Ravens), and others. Holmes bolstered the Lions roster with key acquisitions like rookie cornerback Terrion Arnold and defensive tackle D.J. Reader, ensuring the team’s continued growth. His strong decision-making has earned him widespread respect in the league.
