2025 AP awards included NFL-employed voters for the first time

The Associated Press has included several NFL Media reporters and analysts on its 50-person voting panel for the 2025 awards, marking a significant change after previous exclusion. Notable NFL Network figures now on the panel include Judy Battista, Kyle Brandt, Rich Eisen, and Mike Garafolo. NFL Media analyst Kurt Warner is also a voter but is affiliated through Westwood One. This shift follows public complaints from Tom Pelissero of NFL Media about the lack of inclusion of NFL employees in the voting process. The inclusion comes as the NFL Network employees transition to becoming part of ESPN, with the NFL acquiring a 10 percent stake in ESPN. The change signifies a growing acknowledgment of NFL-employed reporters' and analysts' expertise in the league's awards voting process.