The NFL kicked off its awards night Thursday by announcing the first major honor ahead of the NFL Honors broadcast. The Associated Press named its 2025 Assistant Coach of the Year, voted on by a nationwide panel of 50 media members. More awards will follow later in the evening.
Josh McDaniels Wins ACOY with the Patriots back in the Super Bowl
Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels was named the AP 2025 Assistant Coach of the Year. New England faces the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 60 on Sunday. The award was the first revealed before the rest of the honors show. The ceremony, hosted by Jon Hamm, will air on NBC and NFL Network.
McDaniels beat a finalist group that included Vic Fangio, Brian Flores, Vance Joseph, and Klint Kubiak. Ballots were submitted before the playoffs. This is McDaniels’ third run as Patriots offensive coordinator, and the results looked familiar. This year, the Patriots finished second in PFSN’s OFFi and averaged 28.8 points per game, second in the league.
.@Patriots OC Josh McDaniels is the AP Assistant Coach of the Year! pic.twitter.com/8q0D42bjvO
— NFL (@NFL) February 6, 2026
Second-year quarterback Drake Maye became the clearest example of McDaniels’ excellence. Maye led the NFL with a 113.5 passer rating in the regular season and ranked second in PFSN’s QBiMmetric. The star quarterback is also a finalist for the league’s Most Valuable Player award, joining McDaniels in Thursday’s list of Patriots up for national honors.
The Patriots’ offense took off in McDaniels’ return to Foxborough. New England signed free agent receiver Stefon Diggs and relied on veteran running back Rhamondre Stevenson.
New England had real help around Maye and a much-improved offensive line. Diggs gave the Patriots a steady target, piling up 1,208 yards and eight touchdowns. Stevenson carried the workload on the ground with 1,012 yards on 215 attempts, grinding out tough third downs and finishing drives with seven scores.
Head coach Mike Vrabel is a finalist for AP Coach of the Year. New England has multiple contenders across the major categories, fitting for a team preparing for Super Bowl 60.
The announcement opened the league’s 2025 award cycle. MVP, Coach of the Year, Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year, and both rookie awards will be presented later in the evening.
The AP Assistant Coach of the Year has been awarded since 2014 to recognize the coordinators and position coaches who drive championship teams. McDaniels joins that list with the Patriots, a game away from another title.
