The National Football Post is proud to announce our first annual “National Football Post Insider Awards.” The winners were selected based on input from NFP contributors as well as various league insiders. Multiple ballots were cast, and the candidate who carried the majority of the votes was determined to be the winner. The National Football Post congratulates these eight individuals on their 2008 seasons.
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Peyton Manning QB Indianapolis Colts: Manning completed 371 of 555 passes (66.8 percent) for 4,002 yards, 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while guiding the Colts to a 12-4 record. He was named to the AFC Pro Bowl team for the ninth time and was voted first team All-Pro. The Colts opened the 2008 season 3-4 before Manning led them on a nine-game winning streak. During that span, the Indy signal-caller tossed 17 touchdown passes and just three interceptions. Manning completed the regular season ranked fifth in yards, touchdowns and QB rating and was third in completion percentage.
Runner Up: Drew Brees QB New Orleans Saints
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Drew Brees QB New Orleans Saints: What couldn’t Brees do with the football in his hands during this season? He was a highlight show unto himself, falling just 16 yards short of breaking Dan Marino’s single-season record for total yards. After the final game of the season, it was hard not to notice how impressive Brees was over the previous 16 weeks: 5,069 passing yards, 34 touchdowns and a QB rating of 96.9. Not quite a record-breaking season, but a monster year nonetheless.
Runner Up: DeAngelo Williams RB Carolina Panthers
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Ed Reed Safety Baltimore Ravens: Reed is the smart choice for NFP Defensive Player of the Year because he can flat-out change a game in an instant, forcing opposing offenses to alter their game plans whenever he’s roaming the middle of the field. He’s the difference maker for the league’s second-ranked defense. Reed finished the season with a league leading nine interceptions and three defensive touchdowns.
Runner Up: James Harrison LB Pittsburgh Steelers
COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Chad Pennington QB Miami Dolphins: For the second time in his career, Pennington has made a comeback. This time, it was in a different uniform down in south Florida after he was let go by the New York Jets. Pennington took a 1-15 team from 2007 and led it to an 11-5 record and the AFC East title. For the season, Pennington threw for more than 3,600 yards, 19 touchdowns and only seven interceptions.
Runner Up: Antonio Bryant WR Tampa Bay Buccaneers
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Matt Ryan QB Atlanta Falcons: Ryan might be the most impressive rookie quarterback this league has seen in quite some time. Without him, the Atlanta Falcons would have watched the playoffs from home. He learned to take what defenses gave him, challenged defensive backs and finished the season with 3,440 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Runner Up: Chris Johnson RB Tennessee Titans
HEAD COACH OF THE YEAR
John Harbaugh Baltimore Ravens: In his first season as an NFL head coach, Harbaugh took a Ravens team that had won just five games in 2007 and transformed it into a playoff team that won 11 games during the regular season. Keep in mind, Baltimore finished its 2008 campaign 11-5 under the guidance of rookie quarterback Joe Flacco. In addition, the Ravens’ defense regained its trademark swagger, finishing the year ranked second in total defense and passing defense and third in rushing defense. This elite unit went through the 16-game regular season without allowing a single 100-plus-yard rusher.
Runner Up: Mike Smith Atlanta Falcons
COORDINATOR OF THE YEAR
Dick LeBeau Defensive Coordinator Pittsburgh Steelers: LeBeau could win this award every year, but any time you play the style of defense displayed by the Steelers this season, finish as the league’s No. 1 unit and carry the team to a first-round bye, you should get noticed. LeBeau’s defensive schemes are creative and copied by almost every coach in the league. He is the best defensive coordinator in the game today.
Runner Up: Cam Cameron Offensive Coordinator Baltimore Ravens
EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR
Bill Parcells Miami Dolphins: When looking at the Miami Dolphins this season, you have to wonder where they would be without Parcells. He started by bringing in head coach Tony Sparano — who changed the culture of Dolphins football — then signed Pennington and watched one of the greatest turnarounds in NFL history.
Runner Up: Thomas Dimitroff Atlanta Falcons
Cam Cameron did a great job with the Ravens offense this year. They've been stifled quite a bit in the playoffs but they are still playing solid football. Great to see him recognized.
How do you steal Dick LeBeau from Pittsburgh?? The man is flat out awesome & he comes with that longevity-continuity too. Pitts got absolute gold in that man, I envy you guys.....
A quick note to BYOB--the Pats played the NFC and AFC West divisions this year, week after week of patsies, half of them traveling from the Pacific time zone. Two teams that had rookie QBs made the playoffs, and Cassel has been around for 4 years. Bilichek's effort wasn't that impressive.
My MVP is Pennington. Going into training camp, the Dolphins were coming off a 1-15 season and had nothing lined up at QB. No one was expecting more than 4 or 5 wins. Pennington arrives, plays efficiently and mistake free, and the Dolphins had the greatest one season turn around in NFL history. No one was more important to their team.
Manning had a solid season and definitely pulled out a few games. Interestingly, his stats are nearly identical to Aaron Rodgers. Had the Packers' D held a few leads, maybe Rodgers would have taken home the MVP hardware, eh?
Tony Sparano isn't getting much love. He got beat out by Mike Smith in one vote, and NFP doesn't even list him as a runner up. Smith and harbaugh did great jobs, but Sparano inherited a worse team and is the only one of the three to win his division, and that as a rookie HC. The Dolphins did not have the offensive stars that Atlanta has, nor the defensive stalwarts that Baltimore has, yet he produced the same record. Easier schedule, yes, but no game is easy in the NFL. Give him the credit he deserves.
Consider that Brees faced teams known for their defense, twice, three times a year in the NFC South, and those numbers impress by degrees of magnitude.
There were many that could be Rookie Of the Year not jusy Matt Ryan. He did have a great rookie season but my Tennessee Titan Chris Johnon should have won as he was voted to the probowl in their Rookie year. The Titans are still the best team in the NFL and should be playing in the AFC Championship game this weekend if it wasn't for the blind stupid referees who should have called the delay of game which losing Chris Johnson and too many turnovers. Forte, Kevin Smith, Joe Flacco, Felix Jones ,and Eddie Royal had just as good of a rookie season as Ryan.
Matt Ryan rookie of the year??? how did he do in the playoffs? Joe Flacco made it to the AFC championship. There should be no contest. Ryan only gets the recognition because he took over for Michael Vick. Flacco was the true Rookie of the Year!
Packer Petee
Where have you ben? The Pats had the 6th best record in the NFL, and Played many of the same teams the others did. Matt Cassell has been in the league for 4 years...so what? He hasn't played a game since high school, and the Pats were one of the most injured teams in the league. By the way, the Dolphins were the least injured team in the league, with a veteran QB, and both had identical records. It was amazing what they did, and if healthy next year, will be SB favorites again.
BTW,,,the Packers ate pathetic.
BB wins it hands down. Not only did he loose the league MVP 15 minutes into the season, he lost 13 other starters over the first half, all to IR. Let the haters cry all they want about their schedule but there's not one other coach in the league who could have brought the 2008 Patriots to a 11-5 finish.
Rookie of the year? Jerod Mayo. Came into a Bill Belichick defense as a rookie, started every game, led the team in tackles, named NFL DROTY... Too much emphasis on the offense, here and elsewhere, when the prizes are handed out!
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Jan 14, 2009
11:51 AM
I'm no chowder head but the job Billy B did with the Pat's this year has been very under rated. As much as i hated him last year as he was running up the scores and during spygate, I am equally impressed with his work this year.