NFL Honors Awards 2016

Hailey Loftin
Features Editor

     One of the conversations that occurs throughout the NFL season involves the Honors Awards at the end of the year. The constant buzz around who will be MVP leads to debates among fans, but this year there seemed to be no contest. Right from the start of the season, Cam Newton was the frontrunner for the award. Not all of the recipients are this clear though; many of the awards take more thought.  
      Some of the awards that are given are pretty self-explanatory, like Rookie of the Year or Most Valuable Player. The purpose of some other awards is not so evident. The Salute to Service Award is presented by the USAA and honors a player who supports and honors current and former U.S. service members and their families. The Art Rooney Award goes to a player who displays excellent sportsmanship on the field. The Deacon Jones Award is given to the player who leads the league in sacks that year.

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     This year’s AP Comeback Player of the Year was Chiefs safety Eric Berry. This is presented to a player that overcomes a hardship that is not related to football. Berry was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in late 2014, which tends to be a very treatable (and curable) form of cancer, and Berry was declared cancer-free only nine months after his treatments started. He gradually returned to practices and workouts, and started in all of the Chiefs’ games this season. Not only did he start, but he excelled at his position and was selected to the Pro Bowl.
      The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year honors a player each year who displays excellence during play and makes a difference in their community through volunteering and charity work. Each year every team nominates one player from their team; the pool of nominees is then narrowed down until the award is presented. This year’s winner was Anquan Boldin, a wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers. Boldin started the Anquan Boldin Foundation, or the Q81 Foundation, in 2014, and it aims to help give underprivileged children good opportunities and a good education. Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald does work with his foundation as well.
      Some awards get more press than others; fans can hear about the race for MVP or who is up for Walter Payton Man of the Year all season. Others are not advertised as well but are important. Overall, the awards are a good way to honor those who excel both on and off the field at the end of each season.
  
Full list of NFL Honors Award winners:

2016 Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year
Jameis Winston, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

FedEx Air and Ground Players of the Year
Carson Palmer, QB, Arizona Cardinals
Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings

AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
Todd Gurley, RB, St. Louis Rams

AP Offensive Player of the Year
Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers

Salute to Service Award
Vincent Jackson, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Clutch Performer of the Year
Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints

AP Coach of the Year
Ron Rivera, Carolina Panthers

Art Rooney Award
Charles Woodson, S, Oakland Raiders

AP Defensive Rookie of the Year
Marcus Peters, CB, Kansas City Chiefs

AP Assistant Coach of the Year
Wade Phillips, Denver Broncos

Don Shula HS Coach of the Year
Michael Burnett, Tuscarora (Virginia) High School

“Greatness on the Road” Award
Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

AP Defensive Player of the Year
J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans

Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2016
Brett Favre, QB
Kevin Greene, LB
Marvin Harrison, WR
Orlando Pace, OL
Tony Dungy, Coach
Ken Stabler, QB
Dick Standfel, OL
Eddie DeBartolo, Owner

NFL.com Fantasy Player of the Year
Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Deacon Jones Award
J.J. Watt, DE, Houston Texans

AP Comeback Player of the Year
Eric Berry, S, Kansas City Chiefs

Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year
Anquan Boldin, WR, San Francisco 49ers

Bridgestone Performance Play of the Year
Aaron Rodgers’ Hail Mary vs. Lions

AP Most Valuable Player
Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers