New England’s Stephon Gilmore has become the first cornerback in a decade to win The Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year award.
Considered one of the game’s best cover cornerbacks, the All-Pro made his eighth pro season his best with a career-high six interceptions that tied for the NFL lead. Gilmore was a key member of the league’s stingiest defense in 2019; New England allowed 225 points in winning an 11th straight AFC East title.
Gilmore earned 21 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league. Arizona edge rusher Chandler Jones, also an All-Pro and the league’s sacks leader, received 14 in balloting announced at NFL Honors. Pittsburgh edge rusher T.J. Watt, also an All-Pro, was next with 10 votes. Linebacker Shaq Barrett of Tampa Bay got two votes, followed by Minnesota edge rusher Danielle Hunter, Buffalo cornerback Tre’Davious White, and Los Angeles Rams tackle Aaron Donald — who won the award the last two seasons — with one.
Oakland’s Charles Woodson was the last cornerback to take the award, in 2009.
• Lamar Jackson joined Tom Brady as the only unanimous choices for The Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player award.
Jackson’s spectacular season drew all 50 votes from a nationwide panel of media members who regularly cover the league. Baltimore’s All-Pro set an NFL record for yards rushing by a quarterback (1,206) and led an offense that compiled more yards on the ground (3,296) than any in league history. The Ravens won their final 12 games of the regular season to finish at 14-2, the league’s best mark.
With his speed, agility and seeming sixth sense for how to avoid tacklers, Jackson was unchallenged as the MVP choice, just as New England’s Brady was in 2010. And like Brady back then, neither won a Super Bowl; the Ravens were eliminated in the divisional round by Tennessee.
• Jacksonville Jaguars edge rusher Calais Campbell has won the Walter Payton Man of the Year award.
The award recognizes an NFL player for outstanding community service activities off the field, as well as excellence on the field. First established in 1970, the national award was renamed in 1999 after the late Hall of Fame Chicago Bears running back.
In 2009, Campbell formed the CRC Foundation alongside his mother Natea and has engaged in numerous charitable initiatives throughout his 12-year NFL career. The CRC Foundation, named for his late father, Charles, who passed away in 2003, is committed to the enhancement of the community through the teaching of critical life skills to young people. Through sports, creative talents, vocational skills, financial skills and quality health and nutrition, the CRC Foundation is dedicated to developing young people into empowered and self-aware leaders for the future.
• Ryan Tannehill’s turnaround with the Tennessee Titans was so strong that he has won The Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year award. Tannehill spent the first six seasons as a mostly mediocre and sometimes injured quarterback in Miami. Though he helped the Dolphins get to the 2016 playoffs, he never lived up to being the eighth overall choice in the 2012 draft.
He landed in Nashville this season as a backup to Marcus Mariota. But with the Titans floundering on offense, he quickly replaced Mariota and led Tennessee to a wild-card playoff berth. Tannehill topped the league in passer rating (117.5) and threw for 22 touchdowns with six interceptions.
• Nick Bosa of the 49ers’ was named The Associated Press NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award, winning the honor in a rout. The second overall draft selection out of Ohio State earned 43 ballots of 50 media members. Next closest was Oakland defensive lineman Maxx Crosby with four.
Pittsburgh linebacker Devin Bush got two votes and Jacksonville defensive lineman Josh Allen got one.
• Top overall draft pick Kyler Murray has joined such other No. 1 overall selections as Earl Campbell and Cam Newton as The Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
The fast, elusive and creative quarterback is the sixth man to start off the NFL draft and then win the best offensive rookie honor since the 1970 merger. Newton is the most recent, in 2011, one year after Sam Bradford did it. The others were running backs Campbell (1978), Billy Sims (1980) and George Rogers (1981).
Murray started all 16 games, going 5-10-1 with 20 touchdown passes and 12 interceptions. He ran for 544 yards and four more scores.
• For leading the Baltimore Ravens to the NFL’s best record, including a 12-game winning streak to end the regular season, John Harbaugh has won The Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year award.
Harbaugh. whose brother Jim was Coach of the Year in 2011, guided Baltimore to a 14-2 record. The Ravens compiled more yards on the ground (3,296) than any team in league history, and Lamar Jackson set a mark for rushing yards by a quarterback.
Harbaugh earned 27 1/2 votes, nearly double what San Francisco’s Kyle Shanahan received in balloting by 50 members of a nationwide media panel who regularly cover the league. It’s the first top coaching honor for a Raven. Harbaugh just concluded his 12th season in charge.
• Baltimore coordinator Greg Roman, who oversaw one of the most dynamic offenses in league history, has been chosen The Associated Press NFL Assistant Coach of the Year.
The first Ravens coach to win the award, Roman dominated his field the way his quarterback, Lamar Jackson, ran through and around opponents this season. Roman received 41 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league. Next closest was San Francisco defensive coordinator Robert Saleh with three votes.
HALL OF FAME: Steelers great Troy Polamalu earned a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame along with another hard-hitting safety, Steve Atwater of Denver. Also voted in Saturday were receiver Isaac Bruce, running back Edgerrin James and guard Steve Hutchinson.
Polamalu will go in during the same year as Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher and defensive back Donnie Shell, each of whom were voted in as part of the hall’s special centennial class designed to celebrate the NFL”s 100th year.
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