A pair of Aarons pulled off an NFL hat trick Saturday night.
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers earned his third Associated Press Most Valuable Player award, while Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald took his third top defensive player prize at NFL Honors.
Also taking home awards were two members of the Washington Football Team: quarterback Alex Smith was the Comeback Player of the Year in one of the most inspirational stories of 2020, and edge rusher Chase Young got the top defensive rookie.
Titans 2,000-yard rusher Derrick Henry won Offensive Player of the Year, and the offensive rookie
Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson won the Walter Payton Man of the Year award for his work in the community.
Rodgers had perhaps the best season of his 16-year career, leading Green Bay to a 13-3 regular season, the NFC鈥檚 best mark. Just a few months after questions arose about his comfort level with the Packers 鈥� and their choosing a quarterback in the first round of April鈥檚 draft 鈥� Rodgers, who turned 37 in December, tore up the NFL.
Rodgers topped the league with 48 touchdown passes completion rate (70.7
鈥淚t is really special to have won it in my fourth year as a starter and now to win it in my 13th year as a starter in a new
Donald, the Los Angeles Rams鈥� unanimous All-Pro, added the 2020 top defensive player
鈥淵ou just named two great defensive players,鈥� he said, 鈥渟o any time your name is mentioned with greats, you will be
The 36-year-old Smith completed a remarkable comeback from a broken right leg that required 17 surgeries to repair. Smith stepped in to start eight games before a strained right calf in the same leg sidelined him for the
Everyone across the league cited Smith as an inspiration.
鈥淚t is humbling when I hear that,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淚 know for how long I spent thinking about and looking at the men and women who inspired me. I am stuck in the hospital bed, stuck in a wheelchair, spent countless hours googling and looking at videos of our service men and women going through the same rehab as I went through. ...
鈥淪o there were definitely people in front of me that I am so thankful for that allowed me to go down this path. And obviously I am humbled and I guess you hope that you can kind of be a link in that chain for anybody coming behind you.鈥�
Henry ran for 2,027 yards, the eighth player to surpass the magic 2,000 mark.
鈥淭wo thousand yards is always on a running back鈥檚 mind, especially in the league because it is so unique,鈥� Henry said. "Always put the team goals first, then individual goals come second. But I knew we take a lot of pride in the running game and have had success, and then anything is possible with the group I am with, (so) we could accomplish it.鈥�
Stefanski's Browns snapped their
鈥淲e never concerned ourselves with the past, we are all about moving forward,鈥� Stefanski said. 鈥淭his season had its unique challenges and we focused on those each and every day and ultimately tried to put together a group of guys that would fight every single week, and I think we did that. But we were so focused on what we were doing in the here and now."
Daboll helped Buffalo to a 15-4 record and a spot in the AFC championship game as he oversaw the rapid development of quarterback Josh Allen in his third pro season. Only Green Bay with 509 scored more than Buffalo鈥檚 501 points.
Herbert, chosen sixth overall in last April鈥檚 draft, is the second straight quarterback and the ninth since 2004 to be the top offensive rookie. Not even a starter when the season began, Herbert stepped in during the Chargers鈥� second game when Tyrod Taylor was injured during a medical procedure. Herbert never looked back, and set a rookie record with 31 TD passes.
鈥淚 think it is a testament to all the hard work we have put in as a team, the coaching staff and the players,鈥� Herbert said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a tough year, but we put in a lot of good work, but just to be in the conversation (for the award) is an
Young was drafted four spots ahead of Herbert. The edge rusher led all rookies with 7 1/2 sacks and should be an anchor of the team鈥檚
鈥淚 came in eager to just work hard and be a sponge,鈥� Young said, 鈥渁nd I watched coach (Jack) Del Rio and (head coach Ron) Rivera just from afar, and always just tried to pick their minds about football in general. And I feel like that helped me throughout the year.鈥�
Wilson invoked the words of Payton in his acceptance speech.
鈥淲e are stronger together than we are alone...鈥� Wilson said. "To the young boy or girl who has a dream ... who wants to make a difference ... remember: Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
鈥淟ove changes things.鈥�
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Barry Wilner, The Associated Press
