At the end of every season, the NFL awards the very best players of the prior year. These include the Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, the Most Valuable Player, the Comeback Player of the Year, and the Coach of the Year.
Now they have added a new award that is getting much attention.
NFL Adds New Honor Aimed at an Often Ignored Group
The league has added a new award designed to show appreciation for offensive linemen, one of the league’s most important but underappreciated groups. The award is called the Protector of the Year and will be given to the league’s best offensive lineman during the honors event.
According to NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent, the credit for the new award goes to Buffalo Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins and former offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth, who spearheaded the creation of the latest honor.
Now, current and former players are taking to social media to express their excitement over the new award. That includes Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons, who shared his thoughts on X.
“This fire not gonna lie!” wrote Parsons in a post on X.
This fire not gonna lie! https://t.co/FsmIn6lSul
— Micah Parsons (@MicahhParsons11)
Whitworth also expressed his gratitude to the league on social media: “This award means everything to the big guys up front. The Protector of the Year isn’t just about stats—it’s about the mindset, grit, and leadership it takes to be the foundation of a football team. It’s time the men who lead, protect, and never ask for credit are recognized as the backbone of this game.”
— Andrew Whitworth (@AndrewWhitworth)
Offensive linemen are the players who make everyone else look good. Without outstanding tackles, guards, and a center, quarterbacks wouldn’t be able to save the day, running backs would have no hole to hit, and wide receivers would never get open.
The Philadelphia Eagles Know All About the Importance of Protection
A good offensive line allows playmakers to do extraordinary things. The Philadelphia Eagles know all about this; their offensive line was thrust into the spotlight during their recent race to the Super Bowl.
Running back Saquon Barkley was getting all the attention as he ran all over defenses and broke records. Yet he gave his line a shout-out for their hard work every chance he got, even insisting they come on “The Tonight Show” with him.
They defied the odds with a hodgepodge of Pro Bowlers and players other teams didn’t want. They suffered injuries and started a guy who had never played American football before being drafted at left tackle. Yet they got better as the season went on.
The Eagles’ offense scored the most points in a single postseason with 145. They scored 95 points just in their last two games, the conference championship and the Super Bowl. In addition, they scored 17 touchdowns, the second-most ever in a postseason.
They also became the first team to average over five yards per carry in a Super Bowl, with a passer rating of over 100. While quarterback Jalen Hurts, wide receivers DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown, and the others all deserve a lot of credit, they don’t doubt they owe a debt of thanks to their line.