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Rams win Coach of the Year, player awards; Saints take rookie honors
In his first season running a team and as the youngest head coach in NFL history, the Los Angeles Rams' Sean McVay won The Associated Press 2017 NFL Coach of the Year award.
McVay, who turned 32 on Jan. 24, led the Rams to an 11-5 record, a seven-game improvement from the mark they managed the previous season.
The Rams won their first NFC West title since 2003, and second-year quarterback Jared Goff improved exponentially under McVay's guidance.
"What it means is we had a good season that I think we can build on,'' McVay said. "But you have to earn it every single day. It's a very humbling league.''
McVay ran away with the voting by a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league. He drew 35 votes to 11 for Minnesota's Mike Zimmer. Doug Marrone of Jacksonville received two votes, while the Super Bowl coaches, Philadelphia's Doug Pederson and New England's Bill Belichick, each got one.
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).
McVay, who turned 32 on Jan. 24, led the Rams to an 11-5 record, a seven-game improvement from the mark they managed the previous season.
The Rams won their first NFC West title since 2003, and second-year quarterback Jared Goff improved exponentially under McVay's guidance.
"What it means is we had a good season that I think we can build on,'' McVay said. "But you have to earn it every single day. It's a very humbling league.''
McVay ran away with the voting by a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league. He drew 35 votes to 11 for Minnesota's Mike Zimmer. Doug Marrone of Jacksonville received two votes, while the Super Bowl coaches, Philadelphia's Doug Pederson and New England's Bill Belichick, each got one.
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).