The NFL front office announced early Tuesday that last season’s award winners will don a new golden shield patch on their jerseys for the 2025 season. According to ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg, the new golden shield patch will replace the traditional NFL shield patch that can be found on the collar of each selected player’s jersey. The NFL has also stated that the new patch will be a mainstay on certain players’ jerseys in subsequent seasons.
Who Will Be Wearing the Patches?
The five players selected for this unique honor are Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen (NFL MVP), Philadelphia Eagles RB Saquon Barkley (Offensive Player of the Year), Denver Broncos CB Patrick Surtain II (Defensive Player of the Year), Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels (Offensive Rookie of the Year), and Los Angeles Rams LB Jared Verse (Defensive Rookie of the Year). The golden patches will remain on all five players’ jerseys for the entirety of the 2025 season.
NFL Joins MLB In Honoring Their Award Winners
MLB also introduced a similar program before the start of its 2025 season, with each of its league’s award winners donning a golden patch on the back of their jerseys as well. MLB also announced that it would transform each player’s golden patches into exclusive trading cards at the end of the season.
The NFL did not clarify in its announcement whether the players receiving the new patch would have the patch permanently remain on their jerseys for the entirety of each player’s career. Fans can catch a glimpse of the new patch later this week when the Barkley-led Philadelphia Eagles take on the Dallas Cowboys in the Thursday night season opener.
