The NFL has finally created an individual award to honor excellent offensive line play.
As reported by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, it will be called the Protector of the Year, which will be given to league’s best offensive lineman each year.
The NFL is implementing a new annual player award: Protector of the year, given to the league’s best offensive linemen. ‘Recognize the big fellas,’ per NFL VP Troy Vincent.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) May 21, 2025
The winner will be decided by a panel made up by former great offensive linemen, which will include Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame right guard Will Shields. Had this award been created last year, there’s a high possibility that it would have been given to Joe Thuney, who was named a First-Team All-Pro for playing both left guard and left tackle at a high level in 2024.
Thuney is now a member of the Chicago Bears, but Kansas City has a couple of other offensive linemen who could be in the mix for the award over the next several years in center Creed Humphrey and RG Trey Smith. Like Thuney, Humphrey was also a First-Team All-Pro last season, and has been one of the best centers in the league since being drafted in 2021.
Smith is also one of the top players at his position, which is why the Chiefs gave him the franchise tag during the offseason and are striving to strike a long-term deal with him. Smith was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2024 and was a member of the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2021.
Another guy to keep an eye on is rookie left tackle Josh Simmons. It may take him a couple of years, but Simmons certainly has all the tools to develop into a top tier offensive lineman. It is unknown whether or not he’ll be a starter as a rookie in 2025, but he is a big part of the Chiefs’ future plans.
