Kansas City Chiefs C Creed Humphrey can be recognized for his 2025 NFL season in a way that no other player has been before

Kansas City Chiefs C Creed Humphrey can be the NFL’s first annual Protector of the Year.

Charles Goldman — NFL Managing Editor
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Kansas City Chiefs C Creed Humphrey is racking up recognition for his performance during the 2025 NFL season, and he could add some brand-new hardware to his trophy case in just a few weeks’ time.

Humphrey is the only Chiefs player to be selected as a First-Team All-Pro for the 2025 NFL season, and he’s one of four players selected for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games. Now, we’re learning that Humphrey is among the nominees for an NFL annual award the league created in 2025, designed to recognize the big guys in the trenches who often go unnoticed for their contributions. It’s called the “Protector of the Year” award, and he has a very real shot to be the first player to ever win the award.

Chiefs C Creed Humphrey nominated for the NFL’s first annual Protector of the Year Award

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Chiefs C Creed Humphrey is among the players nominated for the first annual Protector of the Year Award.

This should come as no surprise after his performance during the 2025 NFL season. Humphrey was a stalwart presence in the middle of the offensive line for Kansas City despite injuries and absences at left tackle, right tackle, and right guard, resulting in various offensive line combinations throughout the season. Humphrey still managed to start all 17 games in 2025, allowing just eight total pressures, including one sack, and two penalties over nearly 1,100 snaps.

The award will be presented at the annual NFL Honors ceremony on February 5 in San Francisco, California, ahead of Super Bowl LX between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. The winner will be decided by a panel made up of former great offensive linemen, including Chiefs Hall of Fame right guard Will Shields, Philadelphia Eagles C Jason Kelce, LeCharles Bentley, Shaun O’Hara, Orlando Pace, and Andrew Whitworth.

There are some other great offensive linemen in this league that Humphrey will go up against for this award, including Denver Broncos OT Garett Bolles, Miami Dolphins C Aaron Brewer, Denver Broncos G Quinn Meinerz, Detroit Lions OT Penei Sewell, and Chicago Bears G Joe Thuney. Humphrey could be a shoo-in given his pedigree and reputation throughout the league. No matter what, it’s a massive honor for Humphrey to be nominated in the first year of this award’s existence. Should he win the award, it’ll be further proof that Humphrey has future Pro Football Hall of Fame potential for Kansas City.

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