NFL honors
spring’s draft, passed for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, five interceptions and had a passer rating of 100.8, third-best by a rookie. He helped the Texans go from worst to first place in the AFC South and led them to a playoff win in the wild-card round.
Stroud led the league in passing yards per game (273.9) and had the best touchdown-interception ratio at 4.6, becoming just the third player in NFL history to finish first in both categories, joining Joe Montana (1989) and Tom Brady (2007).
Nacua, who placed second in the voting, set a rookie record with 105 receptions and 1,486 yards receiving yards. Lions tight end Sam Laporta finished third.
Stroud’s Texans’ teammate Will Anderson Jr. won Defensive Rookie of the Year, outgaining both Jalen Carter and Kobie Turner by two firstplace votes. Anderson and Stroud are the fourth teammates to win the offensive and defensive rookie awards in the same season. Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner swept the awards last year for the New York Jets. Alvin Kamara and Marshon Lattimore did it with the Saints in 2017 and Detroit’s Mel Farr and Lem Barney did it in 1967.
Stroud and Anderson were selected back-to-back with the second and third picks in the NFL draft.
“It means the absolute world,” Anderson said about him and Stroud winning. “Just watching how he comes to work every day, the preparation he put in and rebuilding the culture and being captains our rookie year, it’s special.”
Other winners
Dynamic quarterback Lamar Jackson was a nearunanimous choice for his second MVP award but his Baltimore Ravens fell one win short of playing in Sunday’s Super Bowl.
“I’d rather send in a video to win the award,” Jackson said. “To be here for the award, it’s an honor, but I’d rather be in the Super Bowl accepting this award.”
The All-pro QB received 49 of 50 first-place votes.
Jackson led the Ravens (14-5) to the NFL’S best record in the regular season, but they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game. The 27-year-old Jackson is the fourth player to win his second MVP before turning 28, joining Patrick Mahomes (27), Brett Favre (27) and Jim Brown (22).
“It’s an honor. I guess I’m in elite company,” Jackson said.
The one first-place MVP vote he didn’t receive went to Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian Mccaffrey ran away with the AP Offensive Player of the Year award. He’ll try to add a Super Bowl ring to his trophy case when the 49ers take on the Chiefs on Sunday.
Mccaffrey received 39 of 50 first-place votes for OPOY, outpacing Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill. A unanimous choice for Allpro, Mccaffrey led the NFL with 1,459 yards rushing and had 14 rushing TDS. He also had 564 yards receiving for seven scores.
Cleveland Browns edge rusher Myles Garrett beat out T.J. Watt for AP Defensive Player of the Year.
Kevin Stefanski edged Houston’s Demeco Ryans for AP Coach of the Year honors by one first-place vote. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz won the AP Assistant Coach of the Year award after guiding the league’s No. 1 ranked unit.
Quarterback Joe Flacco, who came off the couch to lead Cleveland to the playoffs, was named AP Comeback Player of the Year.
Flacco beat out Bills safety Damar Hamlin and Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield for the comeback award. He received 13 first-place votes, 26 second-place votes and eight thirds to finish with 151 points.
Flacco, the 39-year-old former Super Bowl MVP, was home in New Jersey with his family when Cleveland called him in November. He went 4-1 in five starts and passed for over 300 yards in four straight games with 13 touchdowns.