Mike Vrabel

As the NFL regular season fades into the background and the league’s attention shifts toward the Super Bowl, the awards season has begun to reflect what Ohio State fans already know: Buckeyes continue to leave an unmistakable mark on professional football. This week, that influence was on full display as two former Buckeyes were recognized by the Pro Football Writers of America for excellence at the highest level of the sport.

Former Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was named the PFWA’s NFL Offensive Player of the Year, a milestone that underscores his rise from record-setting star in Columbus to one of the league’s most dynamic playmakers. Smith-Njigba’s ability to separate, create after the catch, and deliver in critical moments has translated seamlessly to Sundays, and this honor places him firmly among the elite players in the game. For Buckeye fans, it is another point of pride in a long tradition of wide receivers who thrive in the NFL.

Not long after Smith-Njigba’s award was announced, another Buckeye legend was recognized. Former Ohio State linebacker and assistant coach Mike Vrabel was named the PFWA’s NFL Coach of the Year, earning the honor for the second time in his career. Vrabel’s latest achievement may be his most impressive yet, as he engineered one of the most dramatic turnarounds in recent NFL history in his first season with the New England Patriots.

After spending last season out of coaching following his departure from the Tennessee Titans, Vrabel took over a Patriots team that finished 4-13 the year before. Under his leadership, New England surged to a 14-3 record, captured the AFC East title, and now stands one win away from the Super Bowl in the AFC Championship Game. The immediate transformation speaks to Vrabel’s ability to establish culture, accountability, and toughness—qualities Ohio State fans remember well from both his playing and coaching days in Columbus.

Vrabel’s journey back to the top of the NFL coaching ranks has been decades in the making. A former Ohio State defensive end, he went on to a 14-year NFL playing career with the Steelers, Patriots, and Chiefs, winning three Super Bowl titles in New England. He returned to Ohio State in 2011 as an assistant coach before continuing his climb in the NFL with the Houston Texans, eventually becoming head coach of the Titans from 2018 to 2023. During that stretch, he led Tennessee to three playoff appearances and earned his first NFL Coach of the Year award in 2021. Now, with his second PFWA honor in hand, Vrabel is once again a finalist for the Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year, which will be announced on February 5.

Ohio State’s presence in this year’s NFL honors doesn’t stop there. Buckeyes TreVeyon Henderson and Emeka Egbuka are finalists for AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, while Smith-Njigba is also a finalist for AP Offensive Player of the Year. The continued recognition of former Buckeyes across multiple franchises reinforces the program’s reputation as one of the sport’s premier pipelines to the NFL.

While speculation occasionally surfaces about Vrabel returning to college football—especially to Ohio State—he has consistently made it clear that his future remains in the NFL. Vrabel has openly expressed his distaste for the recruiting grind and the administrative demands of the modern college game, preferring the professional level’s structure and focus on football itself. For Buckeye fans, that reality doesn’t diminish the pride in seeing one of their own thrive at the sport’s highest level.

From award stages to championship games, the Scarlet and Gray influence continues to resonate throughout the NFL. As the postseason unfolds and the league celebrates its best, Ohio State’s fingerprints are once again everywhere, serving as a reminder that the Buckeye standard doesn’t end in Columbus—it only gets bigger.