- National Football League Defensive Player of the Year Award
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The NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award is given by the Associated Press to the league's most outstanding defensive player at the end of every NFL season since 1971. Multiple-award winners include Lawrence Taylor, who won it three times, and Joe Greene, Mike Singletary, Bruce Smith, Reggie White, and Ray Lewis, who each won it twice. Lawrence Taylor is the only player to win the award as a rookie (1981), and James Harrison is the only one to win it as an undrafted free agent (2008).
During the respective seasons, a Defensive Player of the Week and Defensive Player of the Month are also announced.
Contents
NFL Defensive Players Of The Year
Year Player Name NFL Team Position Team Defense Rank Team Performance 1971 Alan Page Minnesota Vikings Defensive tackle 2 NFC Division champ 1972 Joe Greene Pittsburgh Steelers Defensive tackle 8 AFC Championship 1973 Dick Anderson Miami Dolphins Safety 3 Won Super Bowl VIII 1974 Joe Greene (2) Pittsburgh Steelers (2) Defensive tackle 4 Won Super Bowl IX 1975 Mel Blount Pittsburgh Steelers (3) Cornerback 4 Won Super Bowl X 1976 Jack Lambert Pittsburgh Steelers (4) Linebacker 1 AFC Championship 1977 Harvey Martin Dallas Cowboys Defensive end 1 Won Super Bowl XII 1978 Randy Gradishar Denver Broncos Linebacker 6 AFC Divisional 1979 Lee Roy Selmon Tampa Bay Buccaneers Defensive end 1 NFC Championship 1980 Lester Hayes Oakland Raiders Cornerback 11 Won Super Bowl XV 1981 Lawrence Taylor-R New York Giants Linebacker 3 NFC Divisional 1982 Lawrence Taylor (2) New York Giants (2) Linebacker 7 4–5 no playoffs (strike season) 1983 Doug Betters Miami Dolphins (2) Defensive end 7 AFC Divisional 1984 Kenny Easley Seattle Seahawks Safety 6 AFC Divisional 1985 Mike Singletary Chicago Bears Linebacker 1 Won Super Bowl XX 1986 Lawrence Taylor (3) New York Giants (3) Linebacker 2 Won Super Bowl XXI 1987 Reggie White Philadelphia Eagles Defensive end 23 7–8 no playoffs (strike season) 1988 Mike Singletary (2) Chicago Bears (2) Linebacker 2 NFC Championship 1989 Keith Millard Minnesota Vikings (2) Defensive tackle 1 NFC Divisional 1990 Bruce Smith Buffalo Bills Defensive end 8 Lost Super Bowl XXV 1991 Pat Swilling New Orleans Saints Linebacker 2 NFC Wildcard 1992 Cortez Kennedy Seattle Seahawks (2) Defensive tackle 10t 2–14 no playoffs 1993 Rod Woodson Pittsburgh Steelers (5) Cornerback 3 AFC Wildcard 1994 Deion Sanders San Francisco 49ers Cornerback 8 Won Super Bowl XXIX 1995 Bryce Paup Buffalo Bills (2) Linebacker 13 AFC Divisional 1996 Bruce Smith (2) Buffalo Bills (3) Defensive end 9 AFC Wildcard 1997 Dana Stubblefield San Francisco 49ers (2) Defensive tackle 1 NFC Championship 1998 Reggie White (2) Green Bay Packers Defensive end 4 NFC Wildcard 1999 Warren Sapp Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2) Defensive tackle 3 NFC Championship 2000 Ray Lewis Baltimore Ravens Linebacker 2 Won Super Bowl XXXV 2001 Michael Strahan New York Giants (4) Defensive end 14 7–9 no playoffs 2002 Derrick Brooks Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3) Linebacker 1 Won Super Bowl XXXVII 2003 Ray Lewis[1] (2) Baltimore Ravens (2) Linebacker 3 AFC Wildcard 2004 Ed Reed[2] Baltimore Ravens (3) Safety 6 9–7 no playoffs 2005 Brian Urlacher[3] Chicago Bears (3) Linebacker 2 NFC Divisional 2006 Jason Taylor[4] Miami Dolphins (3) Defensive end 4 6–10, no playoffs 2007 Bob Sanders[5] Indianapolis Colts Safety 3 AFC Divisional 2008 James Harrison[6] Pittsburgh Steelers (6) Linebacker 1 Won Super Bowl XLIII 2009 Charles Woodson[7] Green Bay Packers (2) Cornerback 2 NFC Wildcard 2010 Troy Polamalu Pittsburgh Steelers (7) Safety 2 Lost Super Bowl XLV See also
- Defensive Player of the Year Award (NFC and AFC) (Kansas City Committee of 101 Awards) (since 1969)
- NEA NFL Defensive Players of the Year (defunct)
- UPI AFC and NFC Defensive Player of the Year Award (since 1975) (defunct ?)
- NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award
- NFL Most Valuable Player awards
- Bert Bell Award
- UPI AFL-AFC Player of the Year (defunct)
- UPI NFC Player of the Year (defunct)
References
- ^ "Ray Lewis goes from murder suspect to NFL's Defensive Player of Year". Batesville Daily Guard website. Associated Press. January 3, 2001. http://www.guardonline.com/?q=node/14275. Retrieved January 5, 2009.
- ^ "First safety in 20 years to win defensive award". Associated Press. January 7, 2005. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=1961735. Retrieved January 5, 2009.
- ^ "Urlacher named AP Defensive Player of the Year". ESPN.com. Associated Press. January 6, 2006. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2282829. Retrieved January 5, 2009.
- ^ Wilner, Barry (January 5, 2007). "Taylor takes home AP Defensive Player of the Year honor". USAToday.com. Associated Press. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/dolphins/2007-01-05-ap-defensive-player-award_x.htm. Retrieved January 5, 2009.
- ^ "AP picks Colts' Sanders as top defensive player". ESPN.com. Associated Press. January 7, 2008. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3185005. Retrieved January 5, 2009.
- ^ Wilner, Barry (January 5, 2009). "Steelers' Harrison is AP Defensive Player of Year". google.com. Associated Press. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hAgAxyE0WeXvBWpXKE3vxftAxoMwD95H6MBG0. Retrieved January 5, 2009.
- ^ "Packers CB Woodson voted AP's top defensive player". nfl.com. Associated Press. January 12, 2010. http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d815ade86&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true. Retrieved October 27, 2010.[dead link]
External links
- NFL Defensive Player of the Year at CBSSportsline.com
- NFL Defensive Player of the Year at The Times Leader website
- [1] at NFL.com News
NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award from the Associated Press 1971: Page • 1972: Greene • 1973: Anderson • 1974: Greene • 1975: Blount • 1976: Lambert • 1977: Martin • 1978: Gradishar • 1979: Selmon • 1980: Hayes • 1981: Taylor • 1982: Taylor • 1983: Betters • 1984: Easley • 1985: Singletary • 1986: Taylor • 1987: White • 1988: Singletary • 1989: Millard • 1990: Smith • 1991: Swilling • 1992: Kennedy • 1993: Woodson • 1994: D. Sanders • 1995: Paup • 1996: Smith • 1997: Stubblefield • 1998: White • 1999: Sapp • 2000: Lewis • 2001: Strahan • 2002: Brooks • 2003: Lewis • 2004: Reed • 2005: Urlacher • 2006: Taylor • 2007: B. Sanders • 2008: Harrison • 2009: Woodson • 2010: PolamaluNational Football League awards and trophies Team Individual Most Valuable Player · Coach of the Year · Offensive Player of the Year · Defensive Player of the Year · Offensive Rookie of the Year · Defensive Rookie of the Year · Comeback Player of the Year · Walter Payton Man of the Year · "Whizzer" White Man of the Year · Super Bowl MVP · Pro Bowl MVPOne-time only Defunct Ed Thorp Memorial Trophy · Brunswick-Balke Collender Cup · NEA NFL Defensive MVP · UPI AFL-AFC Player of the Year · UPI NFC Player of the Year · UPI AFL-AFC Rookie of the Year · UPI NFL-NFC Rookie of the Year · NEA NFL Rookie of the Year Award · AFL All-Star Game MVPCategories:- National Football League trophies and awards
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