| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
| 1995 | Viewers for Quality Television | Best Actor in a Quality Drama Series | Homicide: Life on the Street | Won | |
| 1996 | CableACE Awards | Actor in a Movie or Miniseries | The Tuskegee Airmen | Nominated | |
| NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | Homicide: Life on the Street | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie | The Tuskegee Airmen | Nominated | |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | Homicide: Life on the Street | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie | The Tuskegee Airmen | Nominated | |
| 1997 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | Homicide: Life on the Street | Won | |
| Satellite Awards | Best Actor – Television Series Drama | Won | |
| Television Critics Association Awards | Individual Achievement in Drama | Won | |
| 1998 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | Nominated | |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | Won | |
| Television Critics Association Awards | Individual Achievement in Drama | Won | |
| Viewers for Quality Television | Best Actor in a Quality Drama Series | Nominated | |
| 1999 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture | City of Angels | Nominated | |
| 2000 | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie | Passing Glory | Nominated | |
| 2001 | Blockbuster Entertainment Awards | Favorite Supporting Actor – Suspense | Frequency | Won | |
| Golden Globe Awards | Best Actor – Television Series Drama | Gideon's Crossing | Nominated | |
| NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series | Nominated | |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Nominated | |
| 2002 | NAACP Image Awards | Nominated | |
| 2003 | Hack | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie | 10,000 Black Men Named George | Nominated | |
| 2006 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Thief | Won | |
| Satellite Awards | Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film | Nominated | |
| 2007 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film | Nominated | |
| NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie | Nominated | |
| 2009 | The Andromeda Strain | Nominated | |
| 2010 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Men of a Certain Age | Nominated | |
| 2011 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Nominated | |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Nominated | |
| 2012 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series | Nominated | |
| 2014 | Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Won | |
| NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
| Satellite Awards | Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy | Nominated | |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
| 2015 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
| 2016 | Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Won | |
| Nominated | |
| NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
| Satellite Awards | Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | Nominated | |
| 2020 | Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
| NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
| 2021 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |
| 2022 | NAACP Image Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series | Nominated | |