NFL awards will be announced during Super Bowl week
The NFL honours for the 2010 season will be proclaimed in the week leading up to the Super Bowl, concluding with the announcement of the Most Valuable Player award on the day of Super Bowl XLV on February 6th, 2011.
The winners of the awards were selected by a media panel of 50 people that cover the league and the event is being promoted as The Associated Press NFL Awards.
The awards will commence with the announcement of the Comeback Player of the Year on January 31st. On February 1st, the Offensive Player of the Year will be declared followed by the Coach of the Year award on February 2nd.
On February 4th, two days after the Coach of the Year is announced, the Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the Year awards will be given. The Defensive Player of the Year award will be handed out on February 5th.
This is the first time that the awards will be presented on national television with the qualified players being handed with the trophies.
"We're elated to announce AP's annual pro football honors on the NFL Network in the run up to the Super Bowl," said Lou Ferrara, The Associated Press’ vice president and managing editor for sports. "This will provide a showcase for the awards after years
of building a strong and credible voting system for picking the winners."
The first MVP award ever was presented to Green Bay Packers’ Paul Hornung back in 1961. This year, it seems that the Packers will once again be holding the MVP trophy, since quarterback Aaron Rodgers and linebacker Clay Matthews are in the running.
In the last three seasons, a quarterback has won the MVP award. New England Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady won the award in 2007 and Indianapolis Colts’ Peyton Manning won in 2008 and 2009. Manning has a total of four MVP awards, winning one in 2003 and
again in 2004, which is an NFL record.
Brady is considered the most likely MVP this year as well. Behind him is Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback Michael Vick, Chicago Bears’ defensive end Julius Peppers, Bears’ linebacker Brian Urlacher, Atlanta Falcons’ wide receiver Roddy White, and Houston
Texans’ running back Arian Foster.
Foster, White, Vick, and Brady are considered as the most likely candidates for the Offensive Player of the Year award. The Defensive Player award category is a bit broader. Urlacher, Peppers, and Matthews are in the running for the Defensive Player of the
Year along with Baltimore Ravens’ defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, Ravens’ safety Ed Reed, Pittsburgh Steelers’ James Harrison and Steelers’ Troy Polamalu.
The Offensive Rookie award could go to players such as Steelers’ center Maurkice Pouncey, Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ running back LeGarrette Blount, Bucs’ receiver Mike Williams and St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford. There is a slight chance that the Defensive
Player award may go to rookies that like Cleveland Browns’ cornerback Joe Haden, Pats’ cornerback Devin McCourty and Detroit Lions’ defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.
There is no speculation as to who could win the Coach of the Year honour. Winners in the past include Eagles’ Head Coach Andy Reid, who has won the award in 2002, Pats’ Bill Belichick, who held the title in 2003 and 2007, Falcons’ Mike Smith, who bagged
the trophy in 2008, and Bears’ Lovie Smith, who won the award in 2005. It would be safe to say that Steelers’ Mike Tomlin and Packers’ Mike McCarthy are also contenders, as they have led their teams to the Super Bowl. Tomlin and McCarthy both have yet to win
an award.
The Comeback Player of the Year award could go to a wide range of players, including Seattle Seahawks’ receiver Mike Williams, New York Giants’ defensive end Osi Umenyiora, Pats’ receiver Wes Welker, Peppers, Urlacher, and Vick.
The ceremonies will start at 7:00 PM ET on respective dates.
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