MY NFL 2018 AWARDS WINNERS

MY HONORS FOR MVP, ROOKIES OF THE YEAR AND MORE

The 2018 regular season featured historic levels of offense. It also brought us some of the most wide-open awards races in recent memory, with just about everything (well, except for Aaron Donald’s Defensive Player of the Year victory) up for grabs.

I have cast my votes for The NFL 2018 Award honors. Unlike the AP awards, I do a top-five ballot for every award (top-10 for MVP), awarding points on a 5-4-3-2-1 basic. Here are my 2018 NFL award winners for 10 different honors, presented in the style of the Academy Awards—the biggest categories are saved for last, but we’ll roll one of the good ones out early to hold your attention…

EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR

1. Chris Ballard, Indianapolis: 56 points (11 first-place votes)
2. John Dorsey, Cleveland: 41
3. Ryan Pace, Chicago: 28
4. Jerry and Stephen Jones, Dallas: 20
5. Ozzie Newsome, Baltimore: 16
6. Les Snead, L.A. Rams: 7
7. Jeff Ireland, New Orleans: 6
8. Reggie McKenzie, Oakland: 5 (1)
9. Brett Veach, Kansas City: 1

OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

1. Baker Mayfield, QB, Cleveland: 61 points (9 first-place votes)
2. Saquon Barkley, RB, N.Y. Giants: 52 points (4 first-place votes)
3. Phillip Lindsay, RB, Denver: 32
4. Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore: 16
5. Quenton Nelson, G, Indianapolis: 15
6. Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland: 13
7. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo: 5
8. Sony Michel, RB, New England: 1

ASSISTANT COACH OF THE YEAR

1. Don Martindale, Defensive Coordinator, Baltimore: 50 points (6 first-place votes)
2. Freddie Kitchens, Offensive Coordinator, Cleveland: 44 (1)
3. Vic Fangio, Defensive Coordinator, Chicago: 43 (4)
4. Matt Eberflus, Defensive Coordinator, Indianapolis: 23 (1)
5. Rod Marinelli, Defensive Coordinator, Dallas: 9
6. Mike Solari, Offensive Line Coach, Seattle: 6
7. Josh McDaniels, Offensive Coordinator, New England: 4
8. Dave Toub, Special Teams Coordinator, Kansas City: 1

SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR

1. Michael Dickson, Punter, Seattle: 56 points (10 first-place votes)
2. Justin Tucker, Kicker, Baltimore: 40 (1)
3. Johnny Hekker, Punter, L.A. Rams: 32
4. Andre Roberts, Return Specialist, N.Y. Jets: 20
5. Aldrick Rosas, Kicker, N.Y. Giants: 8 (1)
(tie) 6. Tarik Cohen, Return Specialist, Chicago: 5
(tie) 6. Jakeem Grant, Return Specialist, Miami: 5
8. Thomas Morstead, Punter, New Orleans: 4
(tie) 9. Ka’imi Fairbairn, Kicker, Houston: 3
(tie) 9. Robbie Gould, Kicker, San Francisco: 3
(tie) 9. Andy Lee, Punter, Arizona: 3
12. Brett Kern, Punter, Tennessee: 1

COACH OF THE YEAR

1. Andy Reid, Kansas City: 45 points (5 first-place votes)
(tie) 2. Matt Nagy, Chicago: 42 (3)
(tie) 2. Frank Reich, Indianapolis: 42 (1)
4. Pete Carroll, Seattle: 29 (2)
5. Anthony Lynn, L.A. Chargers: 16 (1)
6. John Harbaugh, Baltimore: 13
7. Bill O’Brien, Houston: 5 (1)
8. Mike Vrabel, Tennessee: 3

COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR

1. Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis: 64 points (12 first-place votes)
2. J.J. Watt, DL, Houston: 45
3. Deshaun Watson, QB, Houston: 44
4. Adrian Peterson, RB, Washington: 22
5. Jaylon Smith, LB, Dallas: 15 (1)
(tie) 6. Odell Beckham Jr., WR, N.Y. Giants: 1
(tie) 6. Chris Carson, RB, Seattle: 1
(tie) 6. Pierre Desir, CB, Indianapolis: 1
(tie) 6. Andre Hal, S, Houston: 1
(tie) 6. Allen Robinson, WR, Chicago: 1

DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

1. Derwin James, S, L.A. Chargers: 57 points (8 first-place votes)
2. Leighton Vander Esch, LB, Dallas: 51 (3)
3. Darius Leonard, LB, Indianapolis: 48 (2)
4. Denzel Ward, CB, Cleveland: 26
(tie) 5. Bradley Chubb, EDGE, Denver: 5
(tie) 5. Minkah Fitzpatrick, DB, Miami: 5
7. Jaire Alexander, CB, Green Bay: 2
8. Roquan Smith, LB, Chicago: 1

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR (BEST NON-QB)

1. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas: 56 points (8 first-place votes)
2. Todd Gurley, RB, L.A. Rams: 53 (3)
3. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston: 41 (2)
4. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina: 15
5. Saquon Barkley, RB, N.Y. Giants: 9
(tie) 6. Zach Ertz, TE, Philadelphia: 7
(tie) 6. Michael Thomas, WR, New Orleans: 7
8. Tyreek Hill, WR, Kansas City: 6
9. Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta: 1

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

1. Aaron Donald, DL, L.A. Rams: 64 points (12 first-place votes)
2. Khalil Mack, EDGE, Chicago: 52 (1)
3. Bobby Wagner, LB, Seattle: 31
4. J.J. Watt, DL, Houston: 19
5. Fletcher Cox, DT, Philadelphia: 10
6. Luke Kuechly, LB, Carolina: 9
7. Darius Leonard, LB, Indianapolis: 4
(tie) 8. Myles Garrett, EDGE, Cleveland: 2
(tie) 8. Stephon Gilmore, CB, New England: 2
(tie) 10. Danielle Hunter, EDGE, Minnesota: 1
(tie) 10. T.J. Watt, EDGE, Pittsburgh: 1

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

1. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City: 126 points (9 first-place votes)
2. Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans: 118 (4)
3. Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis: 97
4. Philip Rivers, QB, L.A. Chargers: 89
5. Aaron Donald, DL, L.A. Rams: 69
6. Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle: 61
7. Deshaun Watson, QB, Houston: 49
8. Khalil Mack, EDGE, Chicago: 33
9. Tom Brady, QB, New England: 30
10. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas: 22
11. Todd Gurley, RB, L.A. Rams: 9
12. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston: 4
(tie) 13. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina: 3
(tie) 13. Bobby Wagner, LB, Seattle: 3
15. Baker Mayfield, QB, Cleveland: 2