List of NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Several organizations give out NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards. The Associated Press (AP) has been giving the award since 1972; Pro Football Writers of America/Pro Football Weekly since 1970; and Sporting News has announced winners since 2008. The Newspaper Enterprise Association was the originator of the award in 1966. However, it became defunct after 1997. Also going defunct was the United Press International (UPI) AFC–NFC Defensive Player of the Year Awards that began in 1975.
Associated Press
The AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award is given by the Associated Press to the league's most outstanding defensive player at the end of every NFL season since 1971.
Pro Football Writers of America
The Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA) is made up of sportswriters who cover the NFL and the 32 teams on a daily basis.
From 1969 to 1991, the Defensive Player of the Year was presented by Pro Football Weekly only. PFW and the Professional Football Writers of America combined their awards in 1992. Since 2013, the award was presented by PFWA alone.
Newspaper Enterprise Association
From 1966 to 1998, the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) annually awarded the George S. Halas Trophy to the NFL's outstanding defensive player. The winner was released via the NEA news service and also appeared in the World Almanac, which was an NEA publication. It was considered one of the major awards and was included in the NFL Record and Fact Book and its winners still appear in the NFL's Official Encyclopedia, Total Football II.
United Press International
Football Digest
Sporting News
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated's Defensive Player of the Year Awards spanned from 2008 to 2014 [66]
Pro Football Focus
Pro Football Focus has given individual awards since 2011.[67]
101 Awards
Began in 1969, the "101" is 101 of the top NFL sportswriters who have been voting on awards, such as the Defensive Player of each Conference since 1969.[68]