Several Patriots Named AP Awards Finalists, Including Drake Maye

The New England Patriots have preached being a collective team all season. That doesn't mean that some of the best players/coaches in the building won't be recognized for their individual accomplishments as well.

Ahead of the yearly NFL Honors, five different Patriots were named as finalists for six AP awards.

Drake Maye: MVP + Offensive Player Of The Year

Jan 18, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) exits the field after defeating the Houston Texans in an AFC Divisional Round game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

The headliner. Maye's second season as a pro has been arguably one of the greatest in league history. After the team was projected to finish with eight or nine wins, Maye's ability to throw the ball and use his legs have carried the Patriots all the way to the AFC title game.

He leads the NFL in completion percentage (72%), and scored 35 touchdowns to go with his first-career 4,000 passing yard season. It's likely a two-horse race for the MVP between him and Los Angeles' Matthew Stafford.

The other MVP finalists are Stafford, Josh Allen, Trevor Lawrence and Christian McCaffrey. The other Offensive Player of the Year finalists are McCaffrey, Puka Nacua, Bijan Robinson and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

TreVeyon Henderson: Offensive Rookie Of The Year

Jan 18, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson (32) warms up before an AFC Divisional Round game against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Taken in the second round of last April's draft, Henderson was slow to contribute out of the gate. Around midseason, he began to explode — highlighted by scoring five touchdowns in a two-week stretch against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets.

Henderson was able to help the Patriots in both the running and passing games, racking up 1,132 total yards and 10 total scores — the first Patriots rookie to do so in a season in Rob Gronkowski in 2010.

The other finalists for this award are Jaxson Dart, Emeka Egbuka, Tetairoa McMillan and Tyler Shough.

Stefon Diggs: Comeback Player Of The Year

Dec 28, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs (8) makes a catch as New York Jets cornerback Qwan'Tez Stiggers (37) defends during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Diggs tore his ACL last season, prematurely ending his one year with the Houston Texans. In the offseason, he signed a three-year deal with New England, hoping to find some of his pre-injury magic.

He did, quickly becoming one of Maye's most reliable targets. Diggs became the first Patriots since Julian Edelman to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in a season, and found the end zone four times (including a fifth in the team's Divisional win over Houston). His ability to help lead has also done wonders for a once-dormant Patriots offense.

The other contenders for this honor are Aidan Hutchinson, Trevor Lawrence, Christian McCaffrey and Dak Prescott.

Mike Vrabel: Coach Of The Year

Dec 28, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel reacts during the second quarter of the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

An easy nomination for Vrabel. In his first season with the club, the head coach helped lead them to 14 wins in the regular season and a pair of them in the postseason. The way he changed the culture after back-to-back years with four wins has been drastic, and fast.

Players have fallen in love with playing for the once-Patriots linebacker, and Vrabel has endeared himself to the New England region once again — this time with a head set.

The other finalists are Liam Coen, Ben Johnson, Mike MacDonald and Kyle Shanahan.

Josh McDaniels: Assistant Coach Of The Year

Sep 28, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels during warmups prior to a game against the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Is this shocking at all? The Patriots bring back McDaniels to call the offensive plays, and the team looks good again. After another failed experiment as a head coach elsewhere, McDaniels returned to New England for his third stint and has opened up the world for this young, but experienced Patriots offense.

The numbers back it up. The Patriots were third in the league in total offense (379.4 ypg), fourth in passing yards (4,258) and second in points (490). A lot of that falls on McDaniels, and rightfully so.

The other assistants named as finalists were Vic Fangio, Brian Flores, Vance Joseph and Klint Kubiak.

These awards will officially be announced on Feb. 5, three days before Super Bowl LX.

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