NEW YORK — The NFL officially opened fan voting for the 2025 FedEx Air & Ground NFL Player of the Year awards today, naming nine finalists across three revamped categories. Buffalo’s Josh Allen and Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson highlight a ballot that, for the first time in the program’s 23-year history, includes wide receivers and tight ends as standalone finalists for the season-long honor.
The race for the “Air” trophy features a clash between veteran dominance and a historic breakout. Matthew Stafford turned back the clock for the Rams, leading the NFL with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns. He faces stiff competition from Patriots sophomore Drake Maye, who finished with a league-best 72.0% completion rate and 4,394 yards. Meanwhile, Josh Allen remains a statistical anomaly; he didn’t just throw for 25 scores, he shattered the NFL record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 14 trips to the end zone on the ground.
On the “Ground,” the battle comes down to pure rushing volume versus scrimmage versatility. Jonathan Taylor reclaimed his throne as the league’s premier traditional closer, leading all players with 18 rushing touchdowns and 1,585 yards on the dirt. Bijan Robinson, however, pushed the limits of the position, pacing the entire NFL with 2,298 total scrimmage yards. Not to be outdone, 49ers star Christian McCaffrey notched his third career 2,000-yard season, hauling in 102 receptions—the most by any running back in 2025.
With wideouts and tight ends now eligible for their own FedEx trophy, the competition is fierce. Jaxon Smith-Njigba emerged as the Seahawks’ true X-factor, leading the league with 1,793 receiving yards. Puka Nacua followed up his historic rookie year by leading all players with 129 catches. Finally, Trey McBride made history for Arizona, setting a new NFL record for tight ends with 126 receptions while adding 11 touchdowns.
“Being mentioned with these guys is a credit to the work our whole room put in. We wanted to be the engine of this offense, and the numbers show we did our job. Now it’s on the fans.” — Drake Maye, New England Patriots Quarterback
Fans have until Wednesday, February 4 at 6:00 p.m. ET to cast their ballots at NFL.com/FedEx or via the official NFL app. These awards serve as a major indicator for the AP Offensive Player of the Year, which often aligns with the FedEx winners. The final results will be revealed during the 15th Annual NFL Honors ceremony on Thursday, February 5, airing live on NBC and NFL Network from San Francisco.
