The National Football League (NFL) has announced its debut award, the Protector of the Year, to recognize the league’s best offensive lineman in 2025. A panel consisting of former standout NFL linemen will determine the winner.
NFL executive vice president Troy Vincent credited Dion Dawkins from Buffalo for his role in introducing this idea, stating that Dawkins and fellow lineman Andrew Whitworth wanted to give the position group a prestigious award to shine light on their importance.
The Protector of the Year award considers skills, metrics, impact, leadership, durability, and strength of opponents. The panel will track these factors quarterly to determine the winner.
This new recognition comes as an effort led by Dawkins and Whitworth seeks to promote player appreciation for this often-overlooked position group. With the introduction of the Protector of the Year award, linemen now have a new goal to pursue while protecting their teammates from opponents.
Source: https://www.nfl.com/news/protector-of-the-year-nfl-to-debut-new-award-for-top-offensive-lineman-in-2025