NFL announces the six finalists for Rookie of the Year
Goforitradio Staff
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On Tuesday, the NFL announced the six finalists for the 2025 NFL Rookie of the Year award.
The six finalists were selected for their outstanding performances this season. Each week, six nominees were chosen for the NFL Rookie of the Week and fans voted for the winner on NFL.com.
Those results were used to help determine the finalists.
PLAYER
POSITION
TEAM
Jaxson Dart
Quarterback
New York Giants
TreVeyon Henderson
Running back
New England Patriots
Ashton Jeanty
Running Back
Las Vegas Raiders
Tetairoa McMillan
Wide Receiver
Carolina Panthers
Carson Schwesinger
Linebacker
Cleveland Browns
Tyler Shough
Quarterback
New Orleans Saints
A closer look at the finalists:
Dart led all rookie quarterbacks in rushing yards (487), rushing touchdowns (nine) and passer rating (91.7), tied for the most passing touchdowns (15) and had the third-most passing yards (2,272) this season. Dart surpassed Josh Allen (eight rushing touchdowns in 2017) for the second-most rushing touchdowns by a rookie quarterback in the Super Bowl era, trailing only Cam Newton (14 rushing touchdowns in 2011). He also became the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to record a rushing touchdown in five consecutive games.
Henderson had the most rushing yards per attempt (5.1), tied for the most rushing touchdowns (nine) and had the second-most scrimmage yards (1,132) among rookies this season. Henderson joined Saquon Barkley and Pro Football Hall of Famer Lenny Moore as the only rookies in NFL history with four rushing touchdowns of 50-or-more yards.
Jeanty led all rookies in scrimmage yards and broke the franchise record for most scrimmage yards by a rookie (1,321) and had the second-most rushing yards per game (57.4) this season. Jeanty became the third rookie all-time with at least 50 receptions (55), five rushing touchdowns (five) and five receiving touchdowns (five), joining Alvin Kamara and Pro Football Hall of Famer Charley Taylor.
McMillan led all rookies this season in receiving yards (1,014), receiving yards per game (59.6) and touchdown receptions (seven) and ranked third in receptions (70). McMillan broke the Panthers franchise record for most receiving yards by a rookie.
Schwesinger led all rookies this season in tackles (146) and tackles for loss (11). Schwesinger, who had at least 10 tackles in each game from Weeks 11-16, tied Luke Kuechly (six consecutive games in 2012 with Carolina) for the longest such streak by a rookie since 2000. He is one of five linebackers in NFL history to record at least 145 tackles and 10 tackles for loss in their rookie season since 2000.
Shough recorded the highest completion percentage among all rookies (67.6, 221 of 337), had the second-most passing yards (2,384) and second-highest passer rating (91.3) among rookies this season. Shough broke the Saints franchise record for most passing yards, passing touchdowns (10) and completion percentage by a rookie. In Week 17, Shough became the second rookie ever with a completion percentage of 80-or-higher (81.5), at least 300 passing yards and a passer rating of 140-or-higher (142.7) in a single game, joining Bo Nix (Nov. 17, 2024, and Jan. 5, 2025, with Denver).
