Philly Leader

The Philadelphia Eagles are set to host the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship Game at Lincoln Financial Field this Sunday. Ahead of this crucial matchup, several Eagles players and staff have been recognized as finalists for the NFL's end-of-season awards by the Associated Press. These nominations are based on regular-season performances.

Among those nominated is Saquon Barkley, who is in contention for both MVP and Offensive Player of the Year. Barkley led the NFL in rushing with a franchise-record 2,005 yards, becoming only the ninth player in league history to surpass 2,000 rushing yards in a single season. He achieved this milestone despite sitting out the final game of the regular season.

Zack Baun has been nominated for Defensive Player of the Year after an impressive season as an off-ball linebacker. Baun was named first-team All-Pro and was Pro Football Focus' top-graded linebacker. His stats include 150 tackles, five forced fumbles, 3.5 sacks, and more.

Cooper DeJean is up for Defensive Rookie of the Year after stepping into a significant role from Week 6 onwards. DeJean contributed to an Eagles defense that allowed just 15.9 points per game since he became nickel cornerback.

Vic Fangio is a finalist for Assistant Coach of the Year following his first season as defensive coordinator for Philadelphia. Under Fangio's leadership, the Eagles ranked highly across multiple defensive categories compared to their previous performance last year.

Quinyon Mitchell also received recognition as a finalist for Defensive Rookie of the Year alongside DeJean. Mitchell played a crucial role in coverage throughout his rookie campaign.

The winners will be announced at NFL Honors on Thursday, February 6th in New Orleans ahead of Super Bowl LIX.