Former NC State All-American OL Joe Thuney has the 11th Best Odds to Win Protector of the Year in 2025

It is nearly impossible for an offense to be effective without a strong offensive line, yet offensive linemen are often the most invisible and overlooked members of a football team—especially when it comes to end-of-season awards.

That will change in 2025.

Beginning next season, the NFL Protector of the Year will be presented at the annual NFL Honors event, awarded to the league’s best offensive lineman.

Currently, Vegas gives former NC State All-American offensive lineman Joe Thuney the 11th-best odds to take home the inaugural award.

The Chiefs traded Thuney to the Bears this offseason, and they proceeded to sign him to a 2-year extension.

Thuney arrived in Chicago with one year left on the five-year, $80 million contract he signed with Kansas City back in 2021. He was due to make $16 million in the final year of his contract this fall.

With the signing of a two-year extension today, Thuney is now under contract with the Bears through the next three seasons, making $17.5 million per year in 2026 and 2027.

$33.5 million of the $35 million extension is guaranteed.

A three-time Pro Bowler, Thuney has been selected each of the past three seasons. He has also earned All-Pro honors four times, receiving First-Team recognition the past two seasons and Second-Team honors in 2019 and 2022.

Thuney did not allow a single sack this past season and has surrendered only seven over the past five years.

According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Thuney has been the highest-graded pass-blocking guard in the NFL since 2021, with a grade of 90.2.

This past season, Thuney reached the Super Bowl as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs, marking his sixth Super Bowl appearance—tying him for the second-most in NFL history. His four Super Bowl rings also rank tied for the second-most in league history.

In 2015, USA Today named Thuney to its First-Team All-American squad, making him the first NC State offensive lineman to earn All-American honors since 1979. He paved the way for Garrett Bradbury, Terronne Prescod, and Ikem Ekwonu, who followed in his footsteps.