2025 NFL Honors: How Did Current and Former Giants Do in Annual Award Show?

There wasn’t much for the New York Giants fans to cheer about in 2024, and not surprisingly, that extended into the voting results of the annual NFL Honors program held Thursday night in New Orleans, the site of Super Bowl 49.

Still, there was a mix of some current and former Giants who were up for awards and who, in one case, even walked away with a trophy at the event. 

Thanks to the information provided by Associated Press Senior Writer/Insider Rob Maaddi (unless otherwise noted), here is a look at the winners and runners-up in categories that included a current or former Giant player.

AP Offensive Player of the Year

Winner: Eagles Running Back Saquon Barkley

The anguish of Giants fans everywhere continues as the team’s former running back continues his magical first season with the enemy down the Turnpike. Barley was the runaway winner, having earned 406 votes. The next closest player was Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who earned 183 votes. Not even close.

AP Comeback Player of the Year

Winner: Bengals Quarterback Joe Burrow 

Burrow won this award with a whopping 370 votes. But Barkley also received five votes in this category, though I’m not quite sure what he was coming back from. 

AP Defensive Player of the Year

Winner: Broncos Cornerback Patrick Surtain II

Former Giants safety Xavier McKinney was a candidate for this award, but he only earned 17 votes to winner Surtain’s 330. Former Giants defensive lineman Leonard Williams, now with Seattle, also collected four votes from the panel in this category.

AP Offensive Rookie of the Year

Winner: Commanders Quarterback Jayden Daniels

Daniels, the quarterback Giants head coach Brian Daboll admitted to wanting to trade up for on Hard Knocks last year, was the favorite to win the OROY award, and he did so with a whopping 495 votes. Meanwhile, Giants rookie (and Daniels’ former teammate at LSU) Malik Nabers finished fifth with 51 votes.

Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025

As was leaked earlier in the evening by Pro Football Hall of Fame voter Ira Kaufman to Christopher Russo of Mad Dog Sports Radio, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, one of six first-year finalists for inclusion in the Class of 2025, did not make the cut.

Manning didn't even make the cut to seven. Vinatieri, Torry Holt, Kuechly, and Willie Anderson made the cut, which means all four will be automatic finalists next year, per the new Hall of Fame voting process.

That leaves 11 spots available for the Class of 2026 finalists. Manning, meanwhile, will have 19 more chances to get into Canton, assuming the voting rules don’t change. 

AP Most Valuable Player

Winner: Bills Quarterback Josh Allen

This race was probably among the closest of the night, but Allen, the Bills quarterback, edged out Raven's signal-caller Lamar Jackson 383-362. Barkley came in third place in the voting with 120 votes.

Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year

Winner: Jaguars Defensive End Arik Armstead

Each team had a nominee for the league’s annual “Walter Payton Man of the Year” award, presented by Nationwide. The WPMOY award honors a player's commitment to philanthropy and community impact. Giants receiver Darius Slayton was the Giants’ nominee, but the award went to Armstead.

FedEx Air & Ground Players of the Year

Winner: Bengals Wide Receiver Ja’Marr Chase

Chase became the first receiver to win this award after FedEx, which previously gave the Air award to quarterbacks, expanded the eligibility field to include tight ends and receivers. Barkley was also one of the finalists for the award.