When you’re a perennial contender, as the Buffalo Bills often are, team excellence is propelled by individual excellence. In recent years, the Bills have had a few guys achieve special individual accolades, and the 2026 season should be no different.
The Bills have had their share of big-time trophy winners in the past, from NFL MVP (Thurman Thomas) to Defensive Player of the Year (Bruce Smith). Will there be any Bills to join that prestigious list in 2026? These three names have a shot.
3 Bills with a shot at winning hardware in 2026
3.) Joe Brady – Coach of the Year
There’s no pressure on Joe Brady at all this season. After all, he just has to follow one of the most successful coaches in franchise history in Sean McDermott and get the team back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1993.
He’s inheriting one of the best offenses in football (that he helped create and run), and is hoping that defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard can finally get them over the hump. If Brady can reclaim the AFC East and get the Bills back to the Super Bowl, he could become the first coach since Chuck Knox in 1980 to claim the AP Coach of the Year award.
2.) James Cook – Offensive Player of the Year
The Bills have made some important moves this offseason, one of which should have a major impact on the offense. If D.J. Moore can help elevate the passing game, it could potentially make Cook – the NFL’s leading rusher in 2025 – even more dangerous.
Cook led the NFL with 1,621 rushing yards and an NFL-best 95.4 yards per game while adding another 291 yards receiving. If he can take on a bigger role as a receiver, he has a very good chance at becoming the league’s best offensive player.
1.) Josh Allen – MVP
Josh Allen has already won the award and has been a finalist multiple times. He’s good enough to contend for MVP on his own, but the Bills have made moves to help him out.
At his peak, Allen threw for more than 4,500 yards and 37 touchdowns. Don’t be surprised if he tops the 4,000-yard mark for the first time since 2023 and hits 30 passing touchdowns once again. Combine that with his rushing efficiency and you’ve got all the makings of one of the most valuable players in football.
A big year ahead for the Bills
This is set to be a big, important season for the Bills for a lot of reasons. While the Super Bowl remains the ultimately goal, it would be nice to see some of these guys get the recognition they deserve.
For Allen specifically, this could be the kind of legacy-making career that puts him in the pantheon of all-time greats.
