NFL.com Makes the Case for Bears' Joe Thuney to Win Inaugural Protector of the Year

NFL.com outlines why Bears guard Joe Thuney is the leading candidate for the inaugural Protector of the Year after a dominant, sack-free 2025 season.

David Banks-Imagn Images

If the NFL is serious about celebrating the best offensive lineman in the league, then the inaugural Protector of the Year award should go to Chicago Bears guard Joe Thuney. He's the gold standard.

Thuney wasn't just a solid addition to the Bears in 2025; he was the defining piece of one of the league's most successful offensive line transformations.

NFL.com made the case for Thuney as the frontrunner for the league's newest individual honor, and the data backs it up.

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Chicago Bears guard Joe Thuney (62) celebrates after defeating the Cleveland Browns. David Banks-Imagn Images. | David Banks-Imagn Images

"In the regular season, the Bears led the NFL in success rate on run plays (48.1%) and averaged the second-most yards before contact per carry (1.8), according to Next Gen Stats," NFL.com's Jack Andradae wrote. "Thuney was credited with zero sacks allowed by both PFF and NGS, with his 643 regular-season pass-blocking snaps counting as the most logged by any player without a sack allowed (NGS). The shutout he pitched is made even more impressive by the fact that Caleb Williams-- as one of the NFL's best playmakers on extended dropbacks -- had the longest average time to throw among qualified passers (3.2 seconds) during the regular season and threw more passes on extended dropbacks (94) and scramble plays (79) than any other player."

Former NFL quarterback David Carr is also advocating for Thuney to win the award, mainly because of how he protected Caleb Williams.

"I'm leaning toward Thuney, who didn't give up a sack all season and garnered PFF's top pass-blocking grade at the guard position," Carr wrote. "His versatility even allowed the Bears to swing him out to left tackle as an injury replacement in the Divisional Round of the playoffs."

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Carr's colleague at NFL.com shared a similar sentiment.

"Thuney was traded to the Bears and again instantly solidified a formerly shaky offensive line," Dante Koplowitz-Fleming wrote. "Aside from the team success Thuney has enjoyed throughout his career, the first-team All-Pro guard was the ultimate protector for the Bears this season. According to Next Gen Stats, Thuney did not allow a single sack on 740 pass-blocking snaps, including playoffs (he registered 643 pass-blocking snaps in the regular season)."

If the Protector of the Year award is meant to honor the lineman who best enabled offensive success while neutralizing defenders along the way, the case is clear (as many at NFL.com have stated). Joe Thuney didn't just protect Caleb Williams. He redefined the Chicago Bears' entire offensive identity.

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