Lamar Jackson. Nick Bosa. The Mountaineer Shot. South Florida represented at NFL Honors
Pompano Beach native Lamar Jackson made a statement this season: He’s going to be a very good quarterback in the NFL for quite a while.
He was honored handsomely on Saturday during the NFL Honors ceremony at Miami’s Arsht Center. Jackson was the unanimous selection as the Associated Press’ NFL Most Valuable Player.
The award seemed inevitable to go to Jackson, who had one of the single-best seasons by a quarterback in recent history.
The 23-year-old and 32nd overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft completed 66.1 percent of his passes for 3,127 yards and a league-high 36 touchdowns against just six interceptions. He also set the NFL record for most rushing yards by a quarterback (1,206) and added seven rushing touchdowns, averaging 6.9 yards per rush.
Jackson, who was also named the FedEx Air Player of the Year, was a pivotal factor in the Ravens going 14-2 and earning the top seed in the AFC. Baltimore ultimately lost to the Tennessee Titans in the divisional round of the playoffs.
But Jackson wasn’t the only player with local ties to win big on Saturday.
Three with area ties were named as part of the 2020 class for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in running back Edgerrin James (Miami Hurricanes), wide receiver Isaac Bruce (Fort Lauderdale native and Dillard High alumnus) and offensive lineman Steve Hutchinson (Fort Lauderdale native and Coral Springs High alumnus). They join former Miami Hurricanes and Miami Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson, who was previously named as part of the “Centennial Class.”
Miami Dolphins kicker and punter Jason Sanders and Matt Haack landed the Bridgestone Clutch Performance Play for teaming up on a trick-play touchdown in Miami’s upset win over the Philadelphia Eagles. It’s the second consecutive year the Dolphins have won this award with the Miami Miracle taking the honors last year.
“It’s not everyday a punter and a kicker get to be part of something like that,” Haack said.
“I don’t know the next time we’re going to see that,” Sanders said.
Former Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas standout and San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa was named the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year after recording 47 tackles and nine sacks during the regular season and then tacking on three more sacks in the playoffs.
Former Miami Hurricanes standout and current Jacksonville Jaguar Calais Campbell was named the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.
And former Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill, now with the Tennessee Titans, is the AP’s NFL Comeback Player of the Year after leading a Titans team team that was 2-4 when he became the starter to the AFC Championship Game.
“It’s great to be up here,” Tannehill said. “It’s an honor I guess you never want to initially be up for, but I’m honored just to be recognized.”
Full list of winners
▪ AP Most Valuable Player: Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
▪ Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year: Calais Campbell, Jacksonville Jaguars
▪ AP Coach of the Year: John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
▪ AP Comeback Player of the Year: Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans
▪ AP Offensive Player of the Year: Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints
▪ AP Defensive Player of the Year: Stephon Gilmore, New England Patriots
▪ AP Offensive Rookie of the Year: Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
▪ AP Defensive Rookie of the Year: Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers
▪ Bridgestone Clutch Performance Play of the Year: Jason Sanders and Matt Haack, Miami Dolphins
▪ FedEx Air & Ground Players of the Year: Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens; and Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans
▪ Salute to Service Award: Donnie Edwards
▪ Courtyard Unstoppable Performance of the Year: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
▪ Deacon Jones Award: Shaquil Barrett, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
▪ Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award: Adrian Peterson, Washington Redskins
▪ Don Shula High School Coach of the Year: Matt Land, Dalton (Ga.) High School
▪ AP Assistant Coach of the Year: Greg Roman, Baltimore Ravens
▪ Bud Light Celly of the Year: Seattle Seahawks in Week 6, “Bye, Bye, Bye”
▪ Anything But Ordinary Player of the Year: Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
▪ Daily Fantasy Player of the Year: Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers
This story was originally published February 1, 2020 at 7:08 PM.
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