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Rams win Coach of the Year, player awards; Saints take rookie honors
Todd Gurley II and Aaron Donald, won the Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards, respectively -- capping a remarkable turnaround season for the Rams.
Donald became the first pure defensive tackle to win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award since 1999.
Often the province of outside pass-rushers and backs, Donald broke the trend by earning 23 votes from the 50-member panel.
"Words can't express what I'm feeling right now," Donald said. "Trying to hold back the tears."
Warren Sapp of Tampa Bay was the previous tackle to win the award.
"That's one of the best to ever do it, so for my name to be next to that guy's name is beyond a blessing," Donald said. "My dad's been telling me since I was 12 years old working out in my basement trying to work to this point, all the work paid off. You put the body of work in, it's going to pay off for you."
While the Rams' defense didn't rank highly in league stats, Donald was a force. The 2014 top defensive rookie spent 2017 destroying blockers, leading all players at his position with 11 sacks and had 58 pressures while usually being double-teamed.
Donald enters the final year of his rookie contract. He sat out last summer in hopes of getting a new deal and did not return in time for the season opener.
Defensive end Calais Campbell, in his first season with the Jaguars, was second with 17 votes. Arizona's Chandler Jones got five.
The Rams' hat trick of awards was not unprecedented. In 2003, Baltimore's Ray Lewis was top defensive player, Jamal Lewis won best offensive player, and Terrell Suggs was Defensive Rookie of the Year. And in 1999, the St. Louis Rams had three award winners: Kurt Warner (MVP), Marshall Faulk (Offensive Player) and Dick Vermeil (Coach).
Donald became the first pure defensive tackle to win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award since 1999.
Often the province of outside pass-rushers and backs, Donald broke the trend by earning 23 votes from the 50-member panel.
"Words can't express what I'm feeling right now," Donald said. "Trying to hold back the tears."
Warren Sapp of Tampa Bay was the previous tackle to win the award.
"That's one of the best to ever do it, so for my name to be next to that guy's name is beyond a blessing," Donald said. "My dad's been telling me since I was 12 years old working out in my basement trying to work to this point, all the work paid off. You put the body of work in, it's going to pay off for you."
While the Rams' defense didn't rank highly in league stats, Donald was a force. The 2014 top defensive rookie spent 2017 destroying blockers, leading all players at his position with 11 sacks and had 58 pressures while usually being double-teamed.
Donald enters the final year of his rookie contract. He sat out last summer in hopes of getting a new deal and did not return in time for the season opener.
Defensive end Calais Campbell, in his first season with the Jaguars, was second with 17 votes. Arizona's Chandler Jones got five.
The Rams' hat trick of awards was not unprecedented. In 2003, Baltimore's Ray Lewis was top defensive player, Jamal Lewis won best offensive player, and Terrell Suggs was Defensive Rookie of the Year. And in 1999, the St. Louis Rams had three award winners: Kurt Warner (MVP), Marshall Faulk (Offensive Player) and Dick Vermeil (Coach).