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And so, the NFL 2020 Regular Season has come to a close. This year was like no other; some players shined through the adversity, while others crumbled under the pressure. We saw records broken, rookies make immense impacts, and legends start to decline. We got it all in 2020, and there are players that should be rewarded for their triumphs.
Photo: Associated Press
Listed below are my personal picks for individual awards, First and Second Team All-Pro, and the Top 25 Rookies for 2020:
Co-Comeback Players of the Year:
Alex Smith - Quarterback - Washington Football Team
Aldon Smith - Edge Rusher - Dallas Cowboys
Runner up: David Andrews - Center - New England Patriots
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Chase Young - Defensive End - Washington Football Team
Runner up: Julian Blackmon - Safety - Indianapolis Colts
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Justin Jefferson - Wide Receiver - Minnesota Vikings
Runner up: Justin Herbert - Quarterback - Los Angeles Chargers
Defensive Player of the Year: TJ Watt - Outside Linebacker/Edge Rusher - Pittsburgh Steelers
Runner up: Xavien Howard - Cornerback - Miami Dolphins
Offensive Player of the Year: Davante Adams - Wide Receiver - Green Bay Packers
Runner up: Travis Kelce - Tight End - Kansas City Chiefs
Coach of the Year: Kevin Stefanski - Cleveland Browns
Runner up: Sean McDermott - Buffalo Bills
Most Valuable Player: Derrick Henry - Running Back - Tennessee Titans
Runner up: Aaron Rodgers - Quarterback - Green Bay Packers
CPOY:
I couldn't decide on just one winner. On one hand, Alex Smith almost died from his gruesome leg injury. It took him almost two years to come back and play in an NFL game. When he returned to the field, he went 5-1 and helped Washington win the NFC East. He also played some of the best football he has in years, proving that anyone can overcome adversity, even to the highest degree. On the other hand, Aldon Smith battled drug and alcohol abuse throughout his first few years in the NFL. After being suspended from the league, he found himself in rehabilitation centers through the next five years. This season, he was reinstated by the NFL and made an incredible return. Although some may say this isn't as great as what Alex Smith achieved, I believe that they have had two completely different struggles that could have resulted in a similar result; death. For both of these world class athletes, who dominated before the game was taken from them, to come back and even suit up says something. For these reasons, I award the Comeback Player of the Year to both Alex Smith and Aldon Smith.
For David Andrews runner up explanation, check my Midseason Awards article (posted at the bottom of the page)
DROY:
Chase Young had a fantastic rookie campaign. Although his sack count (7) doesn't jump out at you, he was the face of a dominant Washington defense and generated more pressures than any other rookie; and it wasn't even close. His impact in the run game, which included 10 TFLs, also set the tone for the rest of the defense. 4 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, and 4 pass deflections also showed his dominance. Most of his production, however, can't be found on a stat sheet. His ability to close gaps playside and force the ball back into a swarming defense, take running backs off of their routes by hitting them as they go by, and stuffing the backside edge on run plays away from him, so blitzing linebackers and defensive backs can chase down the play just shows how menacing Chase Young truly is.
Julian Blackmon had a great rookie season, and would have been my pick for DROY if his last five games weren't as bad as they were. He made incredible plays all year long, stuffing screens, laying out blockers to open lanes for his linebackers, while leaping for interceptions and making big hits to force fumbles. He will be a force in the Colts defense for years to come.
OROY:
This was actually one of the easier decisions for this list. Justin Jefferson had a monster season, putting him among some of the best wide receivers in the NFL within his first year. After posting 5 catches for 70 yards in his first two games combined, Jefferson went on a tear and showed opposing defensive backs why he is one of the best route runners in the league. Over the next 14 games, Justin would catch 83 passes for 1,330 yards and 7 TDs. He finished 4th in receiving yards in the league, and tied for 1st with receptions of 20+ yards (23). He broke the NFL rookie record for receiving yards in a season, and has proven to be a future great for the Minnesota Vikings.
Justin Herbert had a great season as well, as he broke the rookie record for TD passes in a season (31). He also finished 6th in passing yards with 4,336. Herbert also had 55 carries for 234 yards and 5 TDs. On the flip side, he threw 10 interceptions and posted a passer rating of 98.3, putting players like Lamar Jackson, Derek Carr, and Kirk Cousins ahead of him in this category. He also finished 15th in completion percentage (66.6%). Herbert had a fantastic rookie season, but did not have the same level of production or efficiency that Justin Jefferson had.
DPOY:
This is a no brainer, TJ Watt was unbelievable in all phases, run defense, pass defense, and rushing the passer. In the run, TJ generated a league leading 26 TFLs. He also had 7 pass deflections, tied for the most for an edge rusher (JJ Watt also had 7). TJ also led the league in sacks with 15. He only forced 2 fumbles, his lowest mark since his rookie year, but he did tally an interception. Combine this with 55 total pressures, TJ is the clear cut pick for the Defensive Player of the Year.
Xavien Howard had an incredible season, two years removed from his previous career high mark of 7 interceptions. This season, he made 10 interceptions, while deflection 20 other passes and forcing a fumble. He also allowed a passer rating of 48.3, the lowest of his career. He did allow 272 yards after the catch, the most he's allowed in his career, but he faced deep threats and speedy receivers all year long. His play brought the Dolphins defense up a level, but he saw a lot more opportunities than other corners like Jaire Alexander and Jalen Ramsey. Since Byron Jones was on the other side, QBs didn't have the chance to pick on only one side of the field. For these reasons, TJ is the only option for DPOY for me.
Photo: USA Today
OPOY:
Davante Adams is a man. After an offseason of "Why didn't they draft another receiver? Why didn't they give Rodgers more help?", Adams answered that question by showing everyone that the Packers don't need another offensive option. On the season, Davante brought in 115 catches, for 1,374 yards and 18 TDs. These are video game numbers, and it is even more impressive when you consider the Packers didn't have a true #2 receiver opposite him. His route running and run blocking were works of art, and he was virtually unstoppable.
Travis Kelce also had a great season, bringing in 105 catches for 1,416 yards, the most yards ever for a tight end. Kelce also caught 11 TDs, proving that he's far from done and is just hitting his prime at 30 years old. Given the other weapons on his offense, I gave the edge to Adams. Both players had fantastic seasons, and this was one of the harder awards to give out.
COY:
The Cleveland Browns made the playoffs for the first time since 2002. They had the 3rd best rushing offense and 17th best total defense. The Browns had a record for 4-3 against playoff teams, and 7-2 against non playoff teams. The Browns were exciting to watch for the first time in almost two decades. This is a no brainer, Kevin Stefanski is about to transform this franchise.
Sean McDermott deserves some recognition as well. He took a struggling Bills franchise and turned it into 3 playoff appearances in the past 4 seasons. He has improved Josh Allen's play tremendously and has made the Bills a franchise to fear over the next 5-10 seasons.
MVP:
Controversy alert: Derrick Henry was the best football player in 2020. He became the 8th running back ever to eclipse 2,000 yards in a season. He finished with 2,027 yards, putting him almost 500 yards over the next closest running back, Dalvin Cook, who finished with 1,557 yards. Henry also lead the league in rushing touchdowns and first downs with 17 and 98 respectively. Pair that with 16 runs of 20+ yards, he dominated every other player at his position and almost every defense in the NFL.
Aaron Rodgers also had a great year, his best season of his career. 4,299 yards, 48 TDs while only throwing 5 interceptions is an incredible feat. He also had 14 games where he posted a passer rating of 100 or higher. He did all of this with Davante Adams as his only true passing weapon. Robert Tonyan got hot at the end of the year and teams were able to shut down Aaron Jones on occasion. So why Henry over Rodgers? Simple, the opponents they faced.
Henry had 4 games where he faced a top 10 rush defense and 8 games where he faced a bottom 10 rush defense, his opponents in the other 4 games were in the top half of the league (besides the Bills). Rodgers had 2 games where he faced a top 10 pass defense and 8 games where he faced a bottom 10 pass defense, his opponents in the other 6 games were in the bottom half of the league (besides the Eagles). Henry, relative to Rodgers, played 7 more games against tougher defenses. Despite this, Henry put himself 5th on the all-time season high list for rushing. Rodgers, who only had 2 games against top 10 pass defenses, finished 7th on the season for passing yards. Aaron Rodgers, to some degree, was outplayed by other players at his position, whereas Derrick Henry crushed his competition and the defenses he faced, even though he saw tougher opponents. For these reasons, Derrick Henry is my Most Valuable Player.
As I stated at the top, these are my awards and not what I believe will actually happen at the NFL Awards Show. Rodgers will most likely win MVP, Alex Smith will most likely be the only CPOY, and so on. Below is the same deal, this is who I would give the awards to for First and Second Team All Pro.
First Team All Pro:
QB - Aaron Rodgers - Green Bay Packers
HB - Derrick Henry - Minnesota Vikings
WR - Stefon Diggs - Buffalo Bills
WR - Davante Adams - Green Bay Packers
TE - Travis Kelce - Kansas City Chiefs
Flex - Alvin Kamara - New Orleans Saints
LT - Trent Williams - San Francisco 49ers
LG - Quenton Nelson - Indianapolis Colts
C - Corey Linsley - Green Bay Packers
RG - Shaq Mason - New England Patriots
RT - Jack Conklin - Cleveland Browns
Edge - Myles Garrett - Cleveland Browns
Edge - TJ Watt - Pittsburgh Steelers
IDL - Aaron Donald - Los Angeles Rams
IDL - DeForest Buckner - Indianapolis Colts
LB - Fred Warner - San Francisco 49ers
LB - Roquan Smith - Chicago Bears
LB - Devin White - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
CB - Xavien Howard - Miami Dolphins
CB - JC Jackson - New England Patriots
Safety - Budda Baker - Arizona Cardinals
Safety - Tyrann Mathieu - Kansas City Chiefs
DB - Jaire Alexander - Green Bay Packers
K - Younghoe Koo - Atlanta Falcons
P - Michael Dickson - Seattle Seahawks
KR - Cordarrelle Patterson - Chicago Bears
PR - Jakeem Grant - Miami Dolphins
ST - Ezekiel Turner - Arizona Cardinals
LS - Luke Rhodes - Indianapolis Colts
Photo: GettyImages
Second Team All Pro:
QB - Patrick Mahomes - Kansas City Chiefs
HB - Dalvin Cook - Minnesota Vikings
WR - DK Metcalf - Seattle Seahawks
WR - Tyreek Hill - Kansas City Chiefs
TE - Darren Waller - Las Vegas Raiders
Flex - DeAndre Hopkins - Arizona Cardinals
LT - David Bakhtiari - Green Bay Packers
LG - Michael Onwenu - New England Partiots
C - Frank Ragnow - Detroit Lions
RG - Wyatt Teller - Cleveland Browns
RT - Ryan Ramcyzk - New Orleans Saints
Edge - Khalil Mack - Chicago Bears
Edge - Za'Darius Smith - Green Bay Packers
IDL - Cameron Heyward - Pittsburgh Steelers
IDL - Chris Jones - Kansas City Chiefs
LB - Darius Leonard - Indianapolis Colts
LB - Bobby Wagner - Seattle Seahawks
LB - Blake Martinez - New York Giants
CB - Jalen Ramsey - Los Angeles Rams
CB - James Bradberry - New York Giants
Safety - Jamal Adams - Seattle Seahawks
Safety - Jessie Bates III -Cincinnati Bengals
DB - Justin Simmons - Denver Broncos
K - Jason Sanders - Miami Dolphins
P - Jake Bailey - New England Patriots
KR - Andre Roberts - Buffalo Bills
PR - Gunner Olszewski - New England Patriots
ST - George Odum - Indianapolis Colts
LS - Zach Triner - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Photo: San Francisco Chronicle
Honorable Mentions:
QB:
Josh Allen - Buffalo Bills
HB:
Aaron Jones - Green Bay Packers
WR:
Calvin Ridley - Atlanta Falcons, Justin Jefferson - Minnesota Vikings
TE:
Robert Tonyan - Green Bay Packers
OL:
Joel Bitonio - Cleveland Browns, Ryan Kelly - Indianapolis Colts,
Garrett Bolles - Denver Broncos
IDL:
Leonard Williams - New York Giants, Stephon Tuitt - Pittsburgh Steelers
EDGE:
Haason Reddick - Arizona Cardinals, Trey Hendrickson - New Orleans Saints,
Jason Pierre-Paul - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
LB:
Lavonte David - Tampa Bay Buccaneers, KJ Wright - Seattle Seahawks
CB:
Tre'Davious White - Buffalo Bills, Marcus Peters - Baltimore Ravens
Safety:
Harrison Smith - Minnesota Vikings, Minkah Fitzpatrick - Pittsburgh Steelers
K:
Daniel Carlson - Las Vegas Raiders
P:
Corey Bojorquez - Buffalo Bills
KR:
Isaiah Rodgers - Indianpolis Colts
PR:
Jamal Agnew - Detroit Lions
ST:
Matthew Slater - New England Patriots
LS:
Morgan Cox - Baltimore Ravens
Top 25 Rookies:
Justin Jefferson - Wide Receiver - Minnesota Vikings
Chase Young - Edge Rusher - Washington Football Team
Justin Herbert - Quarterback - Los Angeles Chargers
Tristian Wirfs - Offensive Tackle - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Julian Blackmon - Safety - Indianapolis Colts
Mekhi Becton - Offensive Tackle - New York Jets
Michael Onwenu - Offensive Lineman - New England Patriots
Johnathan Taylor - Running Back - Indianapolis Colts
James Robinson - Running Back - Jacksonville Jaguars
Tee Higgins - Wide Receiver - Cincinnati Bengals
Antonio Gibson - Running Back - Washington Football Team
Jeremy Chinn - Safety - Carolina Panthers
Brandon Aiyuk - Wide Receiver - San Francisco 49ers
Antoine Winfield Jr. - Safety - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Chase Claypool - Wide Receiver - Pittsburgh Steelers
CeeDee Lamb - Wide Receiver - Dallas Cowboys
Clyde Edwards-Helaire - Running Back - Kansas City Chiefs
Joe Burrow - Quarterback - Cincinnati Bengals
L'Jarius Sneed - Cornerback - Kansas City Chiefs
JK Dobbins - Running Back - Baltimore Ravens
Damien Lewis - Offensive Guard - Seattle Seahawks
Alex Highsmith - Edge Rusher - Pittsburgh Steelers
Cam Akers - Running Back - Los Angeles Rams
DeAndre Swift - Running Back - Detroit Lions
Rodrigo Blankenship - Kicker - Indianapolis Colts
Photo: Norsemen News
Final Notes:
Through 17 weeks, the NFL played 256 out of 256 games in the middle of a pandemic. We got to enjoy football due to the NFL's tight protocols and due diligence of each player, coach, staff and front office personnel member. This season gave us some memorable moments, some crazy games, and incredible performances. The playoffs are up and running, giving us a few more chances to watch the greatest sport in the world. Let's not take it for granted, and let's enjoy one of the best football seasons in recent memory.
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