For the 2025 season, PFF’s awards and All-Pro selections were determined through the most rigorous process the company has used to date. A six-person voting panel — split evenly between PFF’s data team and media staff — combined quantitative insight with on-field evaluation to ensure shared ownership and balanced decision-making.
The result is a comprehensive set of awards that reflect both the numbers behind the game and the context required to understand them.
MVP: QB Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
The 37-year-old quarterback enters the postseason leading the NFL in PFF passing grade (93.3), the highest mark of his career. He also led the league in Wins Above Replacement (4.11), more than half a win clear of any other player, and finished the regular season as the NFL leader in passing yards, passing touchdowns and big-time throws.
Dwight Stephenson Award: EDGE Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
Garrett earned his fifth consecutive 90.0-plus season-long PFF overall grade in 2025. He has finished first among all qualifying defensive players in PFF overall grade in every season since 2022, after ranking second (92.1), behind Aaron Donald, in 2021.
Offensive Player of the Year: WR Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
For the second consecutive season, Nacua led all receivers in PFF overall grade, following up his impressive 92.8 grade in 2024 with a 96.3 figure, breaking a record set by Tyreek Hill (93.7) in 2023.
In just his third NFL season, Nacua has etched his name into the history books. His 97.4 PFF overall grade against the Cardinals in Week 14 now stands as the highest-graded single-game performance by a receiver in the PFF era (since 2006). But the accolades don’t stop there, as he claimed not one, but two spots in PFF’s 10 highest-graded games ever by a wideout.
Defensive Player of the Year: EDGE Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
For the fourth consecutive year, Garrett has claimed the honor of highest-graded defender in the NFL, behind a 92.7 PFF overall grade this season. Each of those four campaigns ranks in the top 12 among all qualifying defensive linemen in the PFF era (since 2006).
The NFL’s new single-season sack leader is the league’s gold standard as a pass rusher, with his record-breaking 23.0 sacks standing 6.5 sacks higher than any other player in 2025. But it’s not only plays that end in a sack that make Garrett a prolific pass rusher; it’s the consistency with which he makes his presence felt. Powered by a 24.6% pass-rush win rate, Garrett led the NFL with a 93.3 PFF pass-rush grade.
Rookie of the Year: WR Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers
McMillan finished his 2025 campaign with 1,044 receiving yards on 70 catches from 122 targets, playing and starting in all 17 regular-season games. Among all wide receivers, his total yards and targets ranked 15th, and he finished 34th in receptions. Among rookies, he ranked first in receiving yards and targets, and he finished third in total receptions (behind tight ends Tyler Warren and Harold Fannin Jr.).
Protector of the Year: T Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions
Sewell has ranked among the three highest-graded offensive tackles in each of the past three seasons and led the position in PFF grade in both 2023 and 2025. He did so with a more balanced profile this year, earning a PFF pass-blocking grade above 80.0 for the first time in his career.
Best Run Defender: DI Quinnen Williams, Dallas Cowboys
Williams was traded from the New York Jets to the Dallas Cowboys at the trade deadline and still produced the NFL’s best season against the run.
He led all interior defenders in PFF run-defense grade (91.7), finishing 7.4 points clear of the next-best player at the position, while ranking second in tackles resulting in a defensive stop (31) and run-stop percentage (14.0%). Most impressively, his 0.7-yard average depth of tackle was half a yard better than the next-best interior defender.
Best Passer: QB Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
At 37 years old, Matthew Stafford is putting together the most complete passing season of his career. He led the NFL in PFF passing grade (93.3) and separated himself from the field with 47 big-time throws, 16 more than any other quarterback.
Despite the narrative around his short-yardage touchdowns, Stafford’s dominance showed up most clearly down the field. On deep throws, he ranked first in completions (40), passing yards (1,270) and passing touchdowns (11).
Breakout Player of the Year: QB Drake Maye, New England Patriots
After finishing second to Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford for PFF Most Valuable Player honors, Maye still took home PFF Breakout Player of the Year. The second-year quarterback ranked third among all quarterbacks in PFF grade (90.1) and tied for eighth in big-time throw rate (4.9%).
He also tied for 11th in turnover-worthy play rate (2.7%) and ranked third among all players in total positively graded plays (205), closing the season with seven games earning a PFF grade of 80.0 or higher.
Best Pass Rusher: EDGE Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns
Myles Garrett’s record-breaking 23rd sack in the closing minutes of Week 18 capped another dominant season and made him the clear choice for PFF Best Pass Rusher in 2025 for the fourth consecutive year.
Garrett led the NFL in PFF pass-rush grade (93.3) while ranking second in pass-rush win rate (24.6%) and fourth in total pressures (84). He accomplished that as the only edge defender to be double-teamed on more than 50% of his pass-rush snaps and chipped on more than 20%, a trend that intensified down the stretch as he was doubled or chipped on 74% of his pass-rush snaps over the final two weeks.
Garrett is now poised to earn his seventh All-Pro selection and second Defensive Player of the Year award.
Comeback Player of the Year: EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit Lions
It is remarkable to consider that Hutchinson broke his leg during the 2024 season, given what he accomplished in 2025, when he led all players in total pressures (100).
He finished inside the top five at the position across PFF grade, PFF pass-rush grade, pass-rush win rate, sacks, quarterback hits and forced fumbles and would have been a serious Defensive Player of the Year contender if not for Myles Garrett’s record-breaking season.
Best Run Blocker: T Penei Sewell, Detroit Lions
The 2025 season was further proof that Penei Sewell is a generational run blocker. He led the NFL in PFF run-blocking grade (96.8), marking his third consecutive season with a run-blocking grade above 90.0 and standing as the second-highest single-season mark in PFF history.
On run plays, Sewell led the league in positively graded run-play rate (21.9%) and ranked first in big-time blocks. His dominance peaked in Week 3, when he earned a PFF run-blocking grade (99.3), the best single-game run-blocking performance PFF has ever graded. The All-PFF first-team tackle recorded eight single-game run-blocking grades of 85.0 or higher, the most by any player this season.
Best Pass Blocker: T Garret Bolles, Denver Broncos
Denver’s Garett Bolles was a serious contender for Protector of the Year after a strong campaign, leading all offensive linemen in PFF pass-blocking grade (90.8) and ranking first among offensive tackles in pressure rate allowed (3.1%). He was also the only left tackle to play at least 230 pass-blocking snaps — logging 714 — without allowing a sack.
Best Special Teamer: P Daniel Whelan, Green Bay Packers
The Packers punter led all players at the position in PFF grade (90.4), and his 51.6 yards per attempt was the best among all punters with 25 or more punts this season. He also ranked inside the top five in average hang time and net yards per punt, earning a spot on the PFF All-Pro team and PFF’s award for the NFL’s top special teamer.
Best Receiver: WR Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
It is difficult to argue that there has been a better wide receiver than Puka Nacua since he entered the league, and his 2025 season further cemented his status as the NFL’s top receiving option.
Nacua’s 2025 campaign placed him firmly in the PFF record books. He led all wide receivers in PFF grade at 96.3, the highest mark PFF has ever recorded at the position, while ranking third in yards per route run (3.71) and setting a PFF record with 27 contested catches.
Alignment and coverage did not matter. Nacua led all receivers in PFF receiving grade from the slot and ranked first against both man and zone coverage in 2025. He also finished the season as the most valuable non-quarterback in the league according to PFF Wins Above Replacement.
Best Coverage Defender: S Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore Ravens
Kyle Hamilton set the standard for coverage defenders in 2025, finishing first among all players in advanced coverage grade, narrowly edging Cooper DeJean. He paired that elite mark with an 84.3 PFF coverage grade, four pass breakups and a 64.95% lockdown rate, the third-best mark among all defenders and easily the best figure at the safety position.
Best Offensive Line:Denver Broncos
Unlike last year, the Broncos' offensive line faced several injuries in 2025. Left guard Ben Powers missed an extended period of time, while center Luke Wattenberg’s season ended early. However, the unit still performed well due to solid performances from Alex Palczewski at left guard and Alex Forsyth at center.
For the second season in a row, the Broncos fielded the most efficient pass-blocking offensive line. Denver’s unit gave up 137 pressures, including a league-low six sacks, leading to an 89.5 PFF pass-blocking efficiency rating. The Broncos' line was the only unit to allow fewer than 13 sacks this season.