Awarded for | Rookie of the year in the National Football League |
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Presented by | Associated Press |
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The AP NFL Rookie of the Year Award is an annual award given by the Associated Press (AP) to the top offensive and defensive first-year players in the National Football League (NFL). Winners are selected by a nationwide panel of 50 members of the AP who regularly cover the league. [1] The AP has chosen an offensive rookie of the year since 1957 and a defensive rookie of the year since 1967.
Ballots are cast at the end of the regular season, before the playoffs. Since 2011, winners of the AP Rookie of the Year awards are announced at the NFL Honors presentation the night before the Super Bowl along with the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year Award and other AP awards. [2] While several organizations recognize their own NFL Rookie of the Year, the NFL considers the award given by the AP to be its official honor, [3] with the winners listed in the league's annual Record and Fact Book. [4] Quarterback C. J. Stroud and defensive end Will Anderson Jr., both of the Houston Texans, were respectively named AP Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year for the 2023 season.
Richard Marvin Butkus was an American professional football linebacker, sports commentator, and actor. He played football for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) from 1965 to 1973. He was invited to eight Pro Bowls in nine seasons, named a first-team All-Pro five times, and was twice recognized by his peers as the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year. Butkus was renowned as a fierce tackler and for the relentless effort with which he played. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most intimidating linebackers in professional football history.
The AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award (DPOY) is presented annually by the Associated Press (AP) to the defensive player in the National Football League (NFL) deemed to have had the most outstanding season. It has been awarded since 1971. The winner is decided by votes from a panel of 50 AP sportswriters. Since 2011, the award has been presented at the annual NFL Honors ceremony the day before the Super Bowl, along with other AP awards, such as the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award, AP NFL Most Valuable Player Award, and AP NFL Rookie of the Year Award. The most recent winner of the AP Defensive Player of the Year award is defensive end Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns.
The AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award (OPOY) is presented by the Associated Press (AP) to the offensive player in the National Football League (NFL) deemed to have had the most outstanding season. The winner is chosen by votes from a nationwide panel of sportswriters who regularly follow the NFL. Multiple-time awardees include Marshall Faulk and Earl Campbell, both of whom won the award three times, each consecutively. Jerry Rice, Barry Sanders, Tom Brady, Terrell Davis, Drew Brees, and Peyton Manning have each won the award twice. Campbell is the only player to win the award as a rookie, doing so in 1978. Warren Moon and Priest Holmes are the only undrafted players to win the award. Manning is the only player to win the award with two different teams, doing so in 2004 with the Indianapolis Colts and in 2013 with the Denver Broncos. The award is currently held by running back Christian McCaffrey of the San Francisco 49ers, who received it for the 2023 NFL season after being just the third player in NFL history to post more than 2000 scrimmage yards in a season for two different franchises.
Bruce Rankin Matthews is an American former professional football player who played as a guard, center, offensive tackle, and long snapper in the National Football League (NFL) for 19 seasons, from 1983 to 2001. He spent his entire career playing for the Houston / Tennessee Oilers / Titans franchise. Highly versatile, Matthews played every position on the offensive line throughout his NFL career, starting in 99 games as a left guard, 87 as a center, 67 as a right guard, 22 as a right tackle, 17 as a left tackle, and was the long snapper on field goals, PATs, and punts. Having never missed a game due to injury, Matthews' 293 NFL games started is the third most of all time, behind quarterbacks Brett Favre and Tom Brady.
Ndamukong Ngwa Suh is a former American professional football defensive tackle. He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, where he earned All-American honors, and was selected by the Detroit Lions second overall in the 2010 NFL draft. He also played for the Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Philadelphia Eagles. He has played in three Super Bowls: Super Bowl LIII with the Rams, Super Bowl LV with the Buccaneers, and Super Bowl LVII with the Eagles.
Justin James Watt is an American former professional football defensive end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the Houston Texans. He played college football for the Central Michigan Chippewas and Wisconsin Badgers and was selected by the Texans in the first round of the 2011 NFL draft.
Khalil Delshon Mack is an American professional football linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Buffalo Bulls and was selected by the Oakland Raiders with the fifth overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft.
Aaron Charles Donald is an American former professional football defensive tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons with the St. Louis / Los Angeles Rams franchise. He is regarded as one of the greatest defensive players of all time.
Saquon Rasul Quevis Barkley is an American professional football running back for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Penn State Nittany Lions, where he set several school records for his offensive production over three seasons, before forgoing his senior year to enter the NFL.
Sporting News began awarding a National Football League (NFL) player of the year award in 1954. From 1970 to 1979, Sporting News chose American Football Conference (AFC) and National Football Conference (NFC) players of the year, and returned to a single winner in 1980. Beginning in 2008 Sporting News chose an offensive player of the year and a defensive player of the year.
The AP NFL Most Valuable Player Award is presented annually by the Associated Press (AP) to a player in the National Football League (NFL) adjudged to have been the most valuable in that year's regular season. While there have been many selectors of NFL MVPs in the past, today the MVP award presented by the AP is considered the de facto official NFL MVP award and the most prestigious. Since 2011, the NFL has held the annual NFL Honors ceremony to recognize the winner of each year's AP MVP award, along with other AP awards, such as the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year and AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year. The most recent winner is quarterback Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens.
Justin Patrick Herbert is an American professional football quarterback for the Los Angeles Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oregon Ducks, where he won the 2019 Pac-12 Championship, and was selected by the Chargers as the sixth overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft.
Trent Jordan Watt is an American professional football linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Wisconsin Badgers before being selected by the Steelers in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft.
Roquan Daevon Smith is an American professional football linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs. Smith became the first Georgia Bulldog to win the Butkus Award.
The Mob Squad is a nickname that was officially used by the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League during both their last season in St. Louis and their first seasons back in Los Angeles. The nickname referred to the team's return to glory in Los Angeles under such players as Aaron Donald, Todd Gurley, Jared Goff, Cooper Kupp, and head coach Sean McVay. The naming also extends to fans of the Rams, primarily used by multiple booster clubs around Southern California.
The 10th Annual NFL Honors was an awards presentation by the National Football League that honored its players from the 2020 NFL season. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was a multi-site ceremony, with two sites being used in the host city of Tampa, Florida; the Straz Center for the Performing Arts and host stadium Raymond James Stadium, and SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.