Chicago Bears offensive lineman Joe Thuney becomes the first-ever winner of the NFL’s Protector of the Year award.
Chicago Bears offensive guard Joe Thuney was a perfect offseason addition—one that impacted every single game played during the 2025 season.
Not only was he an anchor for the Bears’ offensive line—helping keep Caleb Williams upright and establishing a tremendous run game with D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai combining for over 1,800 rushing yards—but he was also the veteran presence the Bears desperately needed.
For a Bears team breaking in a young franchise quarterback and installing a new offensive identity, stability up front was a necessity. Thuney provided that from the moment he stepped into Halas Hall, giving Chicago a reliable foundation to build around as the offense evolved over the course of the season.
Thuney was worth every penny of his contract extension that keeps him in Chicago through the 2027 season, and GM Ryan Poles would probably trade a fourth-round pick for him ten times over. In a league where proven offensive line play is both scarce and expensive, Chicago paid for certainty—and got it.
Thuney played 100 percent of the Bears’ offensive snaps this season, impacting three different positions along the offensive line. That type of durability alone is rare in today’s NFL, especially for a veteran lineman logging heavy reps week after week.
Playing next to Thuney helped center Drew Dalman make the first Pro Bowl of his career. And Chicago’s revolving door at left tackle all played beyond their weight class thanks to the stability Thuney provided beside them. His communication, consistency, and ability to clean up mistakes allowed younger players to play faster and with more confidence.
Thuney even moved over to left tackle in a pinch during the playoffs—and went unnoticed, in the best way possible. For an offensive lineman, there’s no higher compliment.
Well… go unnoticed no longer.
Offensive linemen don’t often get their shine, but the NFL introduced a new award this season to give them the credit they deserve. Protector of the Year is similar to Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, or Coach of the Year, but it’s specifically designed to honor offensive linemen who help their teams in ways that don’t show up directly in the box score.
The award takes into account film study, pass protection consistency, versatility, durability, and overall impact—traits that rarely produce flashy highlights but are essential to winning football games. It’s an award built for players like Thuney.
Thuney was nominated alongside Garrett Bolles of the Denver Broncos, Aaron Brewer of the Miami Dolphins, Creed Humphrey of the Kansas City Chiefs, Quinn Meinerz of the Denver Broncos, and Penei Sewell of the Detroit Lions—an elite group of linemen at every position.
He’s officially the best offensive lineman in the game. And as the inaugural winner of the award, it’s an honor he can carry with him for the rest of a Hall of Fame–worthy career.
That career has not been defined by headlines or highlight reels, but by reliability, excellence, and doing the dirty work that makes everything else possible.