Miami Dolphins’ Brian Flores, Xavien Howard miss out on NFL’s biggest year-end awards
Xavien Howard had one of the best seasons by any Dolphins defender ever.
But he didn’t have the best season of any NFL defender in 2020.
At least that was verdict of AP voters, who named Los Angeles Rams disruptor Aaron Donald the season’s defensive player of the year for the third time in four years.
And it wasn’t particularly close. Howard received just three of 50 votes, despite leading all NFL players with 10 interceptions, tying a franchise record. Donald received 27 votes; Steelers pass rusher had 20.
Donald tallied 13 1/2 sacks, 14 tackles for loss and 28 quarterback hits. He also forced four fumbles and recovered one.
“From stopping the run to rushing the passer to just trying to dominate, I think I am a rounded player,” Donald said. “I feel I can do everything. No matter the size of the person, as long as you can play at high level and be productive, that is all that matters.”
Howard, who also led the NFL with 20 passes defensed, was named to both the Pro Bowl and the AP all-pro first team despite being the second-highest paid cornerback on his own team (Byron Jones makes more). Howard is seeking a raise this offseason to put his salary in line with his production.
However, even his own position coach, Gerald Alexander, acknowledged Saturday night that Donald is an incredible talent.
“U can argue til you’re blue in the face about awards,” Alexander wrote on Twitter. “But I will say there’s things on tape that don’t always touch the stat sheet that 99 does on a consistent basis. It’s rare when he’s not dominating a snap.”
Meanwhile, voters chose the Cleveland Browns’ Kevin Stefanski coach of the year even though Brian Flores won double-digit games just one year after the organization detonated its roster.
Flores directed the Dolphins to a 10-6 season and only missed the playoffs because of a lopsided Week 17 loss to the Bills.
Elsewhere, Chargers quarterback quarterback Justin Herbert, taken a pick after Tua Tagovailoa, won AP offensive rookie of the year after throwing 31 touchdown passes, the most ever by a first-year player in league history.
This story was originally published February 6, 2021 at 10:04 PM.
