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Steelers who’ve won NFL Honors since 1976

Originally posted on Steel City Underground | Last updated Feb 5, 2026 10:47 AM ET

The 14th annual NFL Honors for the 2025 NFL season takes place on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, in San Francisco, featuring the inauguration of the “Protector of the Year” award. Annually, the National Football League selects winners of different honorable awards from a group of nominees just days ahead of the Super Bowl. We look back at some recent Pittsburgh Steelers players who have won honors since 1976, not including inductions into the Pro Football Hall of Fame or All-Pro awards.

Cameron Heyward

In February 2024, Heyward – a defensive end for the Steelers – won the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. One of the most prestigious awards given by the NFL, it recognizes a player in the league for outstanding community service and excellence on the field, with each of the 32 teams nominating one player annually. The award was established in 1970 and renamed in 1999 after the late Hall of Famer Walter Payton.

Heyward was presented by Prince Harry, Duke of Essex and grandson of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, and gave an emotional speech.

“When I talk about my dad, he wore No. 34. He’s been with me the entire time. He’s been with me every step of the way. But I know there was another No. 34 who was helping me. This man Walter Payton.”

An emotional #WPMOY speech from @CamHeyward (by @Nationwide) #NFLHonors pic.twitter.com/aalIEyWIOQ

— NFL (@NFL) February 9, 2024

The 2025 nominee from the Steelers for this award is outside linebacker Alex Highsmith.

T.J. Watt

Following the 2021 NFL season, outside linebacker T.J. Watt won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award. His brother (former NFL player) J.J. Watt – a former honors winner – presented the award.

In his acceptance speech, Watt said, “I grew up coming to this award show, I think I’ve been here five or six times, I never came home with hardware… But every time I left more motivated than the time I got here. And I promise this only motivates me more.”

Watt was also nominated as DPOY in 2020 and 2023 but did not win.

Jerome Bettis

The Pittsburgh Steelers nominee for 2021 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year was running back Jerome Bettis. That year, Bettis had spoken on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on Asthma Awareness Day where he spoke to a panel in order to educate congressional leaders and the public about asthma and the issues affecting the 17.3 million Americans who live with the chronic condition.

Bettis won the award. Bettis was later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Other Steelers NFL Honors winners since 1976

Walter Payton Man of the Year Award

Lynn Swann (WR): 1981
Joe Greene (DT): 1979
Franco Harris (FB): 1976

Honors Awards to Hall of Fame

Interestingly, many players who win NFL Honor Awards are often inducted into the Hall of Fame. The league did not start the honors, officially, until 2011. The presentation was pre-recorded for same-day broadcast from 2012 to 2020.

The NFL will air their honors ceremony this year on NBC (Peacock), NFL network, and NFL+ (streaming service).

The Hall of Fame Class of 2026 will be unveiled during the show. The modern-era players under consideration did not include any members of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jahri Evans, a finalist, was recently signed as the newest assistant offensive line coach for the Steelers under new head coach Mike McCarthy.

John Hamm will once again be the host of the show.

This article first appeared on Steel City Underground and was syndicated with permission.

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