NFL Honors 2026: Start Time, Red Carpet, How to Watch, Nominations

The NFL celebrates its best players and coaches from the 2025 season at the 15th annual NFL Honors ceremony. The event takes place Thursday, February 5, 2026, at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco. Emmy-winning actor Jon Hamm hosts the show that reveals major awards including MVP, the new Protector of the Year Award, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026.

Bay Area hip-hop legends E-40 and Too $hort will perform. Celebrity presenters include Tiffany Haddish, Tracy Morgan, Seth Rollins, and NFL legends like Michael Strahan and Steve Young. The ceremony happens three days before Super Bowl LX between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.

When is NFL Honors 2026?

NFL Honors airs on Thursday, February 5, 2026. The main ceremony starts at 9:00 PM ET / 8:00 PM CT / 6:00 PM PT and runs for two hours. The event is part of Super Bowl week in San Francisco.

The red carpet pre-show begins one hour earlier at 8:00 PM ET on NFL Network. The program may not air live in all time zones. Local blackout restrictions can apply in some markets.

NFL Honors Red Carpet Show

The NFL Honors Red Carpet Show presented by Invisalign starts at 8:00 PM ET exclusively on NFL Network. The one-hour show features player arrivals, interviews with award finalists, and celebrity appearances.

Jon Hamm makes his NFL Honors hosting debut after a successful acting career. The presenter lineup includes comedians Tiffany Haddish, Tracy Morgan, and Druski. WWE superstar Seth Rollins and actress Madelyn Cline will also present awards. NFL Network host Rich Eisen joins Hall of Famers Michael Strahan, Steve Young, and Kurt Warner as presenters.

E-40 and Too $hort bring Bay Area culture to the stage with a special performance. Both rappers are West Coast hip-hop icons with deep San Francisco roots.

How to Watch NFL Honors 2026

NBC airs the ceremony live nationwide. You can watch for free with an over-the-air antenna. NFL Network also broadcasts the show simultaneously for cable and satellite subscribers.

Peacock offers live NBC access for $7.99/month (with ads) or $13.99/month (ad-free). The service works on web browsers, mobile apps, Smart TVs, Roku, and Fire TV.

NFL+ streams NFL Network content for $6.99/month (mobile only) or $14.99/month (all devices). The premium version lets you watch on TV.

Live TV streaming services carrying NBC include:

• YouTube TV: $82.99/month with 21-day free trial
• Hulu + Live TV: $89.99/month
• Sling TV: Blue package in select markets
• DIRECTV Stream: Includes NBC and NFL Network

You can use an HD antenna to get NBC for free. NBC.com and the NBC app let you stream with a cable login. You can try free trials from YouTube TV or Peacock.

Complete List of NFL Honors 2026 Nominations

AP Most Valuable Player (Presented by Invisalign)

• Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills QB
• Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars QB
• Drake Maye, New England Patriots QB
• Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers RB
• Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams QB

Matthew Stafford leads the race after throwing for 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns. Drake Maye guided the Patriots to Super Bowl LX. Christian McCaffrey is the only non-quarterback finalist.

AP Offensive Player of the Year (Presented by Microsoft Copilot)

• Drake Maye, New England Patriots QB
• Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers RB
• Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams WR
• Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons RB
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks WR

AP Defensive Player of the Year (Presented by TCL)

• Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans DE
• Nik Bonitto, Denver Broncos LB
• Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns DE
• Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions DE
• Micah Parsons, Green Bay Packers DE

AP Offensive Rookie of the Year (Presented by EA SPORTS Madden NFL)

• Jaxson Dart, New York Giants QB
• Emeka Egbuka, Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR
• TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots RB
• Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers WR
• Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints QB

AP Defensive Rookie of the Year (Presented by EA SPORTS Madden NFL)

• Abdul Carter, New York Giants LB
• Nick Emmanwori, Seattle Seahawks DB
• James Pearce Jr., Atlanta Falcons DE
• Carson Schwesinger, Cleveland Browns LB
• Xavier Watts, Atlanta Falcons S

AP Comeback Player of the Year

• Stefon Diggs, New England Patriots WR
• Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions DE
• Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars QB
• Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers RB
• Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys QB

AP Coach of the Year

• Liam Coen, Jacksonville Jaguars
• Ben Johnson, Chicago Bears
• Mike Macdonald, Seattle Seahawks
• Kyle Shanahan, San Francisco 49ers
• Mike Vrabel, New England Patriots

Mike Vrabel led the Patriots to the Super Bowl in his first season. Mike Macdonald also guided Seattle to the championship game.

AP Assistant Coach of the Year

• Vic Fangio, Philadelphia Eagles DC
• Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings DC
• Vance Joseph, Denver Broncos DC
• Klint Kubiak, Seattle Seahawks OC
• Josh McDaniels, New England Patriots OC

New Award Debuts in 2026

Protector of the Year Award

The NFL debuts the Protector of the Year Award to honor the best offensive lineman. This is the first time offensive linemen get their own award at the primetime ceremony. Former NFL offensive linemen select the winner.

Finalists:

• Garett Bolles (LT), Denver Broncos
• Aaron Brewer (C), Miami Dolphins
• Creed Humphrey (C), Kansas City Chiefs
• Quinn Meinerz (RG), Denver Broncos
• Penei Sewell (RG), Detroit Lions
• Joe Thuney (LG), Chicago Bears

The award recognizes players who protect quarterbacks and open running lanes but rarely get national attention.

Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year

The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide is the NFL’s most prestigious honor. The award recognizes a player who shows excellence on the field and serves his community.

The winner receives a $250,000 donation to his charity. All 32 nominees get $40,000 for their charities. The NFL Foundation and Nationwide Foundation provide the money.

A panel including the NFL Commissioner and former players selects the winner from 32 nominees. Each NFL team nominates one player.

Notable nominees include Maxx Crosby (Raiders), Ted Karras (Bengals), and Demario Davis (Saints). Active previous winners wear a special patch on their jerseys for the rest of their careers.

Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 gets announced during NFL Honors. The class will be enshrined in Canton, Ohio in August.

Modern-Era Player Finalists (15 Total)

Up to five players can be elected. Each needs 80% approval from 50 voters.

First-Year Eligible:

• Drew Brees (QB) – Retired with 80,353 passing yards and 571 touchdowns
• Larry Fitzgerald (WR) – Second all-time in receptions and receiving yards
• Frank Gore (RB) – Third all-time in rushing yards
• Jason Witten (TE) – 11-time Pro Bowler

Returning Finalists: Willie Anderson, Eli Manning, Luke Kuechly, Torry Holt, Reggie Wayne, Adam Vinatieri, Jahri Evans, Marshal Yanda, Terrell Suggs, Jared Allen, Zach Thomas

Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald are strong favorites for first-ballot induction.

Senior/Coach/Contributor Finalists (1-3 elected):

• Ken Anderson (QB)
• Roger Craig (RB)
• L.C. Greenwood (DE)
• Bill Belichick (Coach)
• Robert Kraft (Contributor)

FAQs about NFL Honors 2026

The NFL Honors ceremony celebrates excellence both on and off the field. Tune in Thursday, February 5 at 9:00 PM ET on NBC to see who takes home the league’s most prestigious awards. Three days later, many of these same players will compete for the Lombardi Trophy at Super Bowl LX.