There are many special moments in the NFL, but only a few of them culminate in any kind of award. In today’s blog post we’re going to talk a bit about three of the different awards and what they mean to the players, starting with the most well-known: the MVP Award.
The Associate Press NFL Most Valuable Player Award
If you’ve followed football at all, then you’ve heard of the Most Valuable Player award. What you may not know, however, is that this is an award given by the Associated Press each year to a player that has proven to be ‘most valuable’ during the regular season. One example would be Matt Ryan, who led the Atlanta Falcons to an impressive 11-5-win record.
Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award
This one is a bit more cut and dried than the MVP awards, as the winner is determined via a panel vote comprised of fifty AP sportswriters. These writers are the most qualified, as they cover NFL events regularly. As of 2011, this award has been presented at the NFL Honors ceremony, an annual event just a single day before the Super Bowl. Other awards presented at this ceremony include the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award and AP NFL Most Valuable Player Award.
Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year Award
This is a recent award, designed in 2002 and given to the NFL’s top rookie player. This is not selected by a panel, but rather by the fans. The award is unique because it allows the fans to literally vote online using their computer or other device, and the voting results ultimately determine the finalist. If you’ve never voted before, don’t worry, it can be done throughout the post-season, and it finishes up a week before the Super Bowl.
Statistically, your vote will be one among millions, the results ultimately announced at the NFL Honors show. You can watch the show, secure in the knowledge that your vote helped to shape a small piece of NFL history, and it’s even more exciting when your pick actually wins the award. This is a great way to encourage fan participation, so get on it, and choose your favorite rookie this year.
These are just four of the awards that NFL players can receive following the regular season, and there are plenty more! Keep an eye on your favorite players this year and see if you can predict who is going to come out on top as far as awards are concerned. Throughout the season, there are always room for surprises.
TAGS: FOOTBALL AWARDS, NFL, NFL AWARDS, NFL PLAYERS