For the first time since 2016, the NFL is adding a new end-of-year award to its slate. NFL Executive Vice President Troy Vincent announced Wednesday the addition of a Protector of the Year award, which will recognize the league's best offensive lineman. Vincent creditedBuffalo Billsoffensive tackleDion Dawkinsand former NFL tackle Andrew Whitworth for championing the cause of adding the award. According to ESPN'sBrooke Pryor, "a panel that includes a number of former OL greats" will vote on the winner of the new annual award. The Protector of the Year will be the first new award introduced to the end-of-year NFL Honors show since the Offensive Line of the Year award the league introduced in 2016 – before discontinuing it in 2018. TUSH PUSH:NFL fails to ban the Philadelphia Eagles' QB sneak play at league meetings The league's other most recently introduced awards at its annual show were the AP Assistant Coach of the Year award, which started in 2014, and the Art Rooney Award, which also started in 2014, recognizing a player for his outstanding sportsmanship. Dawkins doesn't only deserve credit for pushing the idea – he may also be the man who coined the new award's name. In late January, after the NFL announced the finalists for last year's NFL Honors, Dawkins stumped for a version of the award for the men in the trenches. Dion Dawkins believes there should be a Lineman of the Year award: "I'm going to make sure this gets done before I'm done playing."#Bills#BillsMafiapic.twitter.com/IRYXfJMo58 — alex brasky (@alexbrasky)January 23, 2025 "Offensive linemen don't have awards for being great,"he saidat the time. "There's not a 'Protector of the Year' award." And now, just a few months later, there is. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:NFL Protector of the Year: New award to recognize best O-lineman
