Browns' Kevin Stafanski named NFL Coach of the Year
For turning around a moribund Cleveland Browns franchise, overcoming injuries and covid-19 concerns, Kevin Stefanski was the Associated Press Coach of the Year on Saturday.
The Browns snapped their postseason drought going back to the 2003 season by going 11-5 in the rugged AFC North, then beating the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild-card round before a close loss at Kansas City.
Stefanski eliminated past attitude problems and locker room discord in making the Browns not only a contender this season, but a potential force in the future.
“We never concerned ourselves with the past, we are all about moving forward,” Stefanski said. “This season had its unique challenges and we focused on those each and every day and ultimately tried to put together a group of guys that would fight every single week, and I think we did that. But we were so focused on what we were doing in the here and now.
• No surprise about the Most Valuable Player: Aaron Rodgers won it for the third time.
Rodgers had perhaps the best season of his 16-year career, leading Green Bay to a 13-3 regular season, the NFC’s best mark. Just a few months after questions arose about his comfort level with the Packers — and their choosing a quarterback in the first round of April’s draft — Rodgers, who turned 37 in December, tore up the NFL.
Rodgers topped the league with 48 touchdown passes, completion rate (70.7 percent) and a 121.5 rating. He was picked off just five times.
• One of the well-earned spoils for Derrick Henry’s 2,000-yard rushing season was Offensive Player of the Year honor.
The Tennessee Titans running back with speed, power and the best stiff-arm in the business, ran for 2,027 yards, the eighth player to surpass the magic 2,000 mark. Five of the previous seven to manage the feat won the award, while O.J. Simpson in 1973 was the league’s MVP.
• Just getting on the practice field was a victory for Alex Smith. Leading Washington to the playoffs? The stuff dreams are made of, perhaps.
The 36-year-old quarterback completed a remarkable comeback from a broken right leg that required 17 surgeries to repair. Smith stepped in to start eight games before a strained right calf in the same leg sidelined him for the postseason spot he helped the team secure.
Smith nearly swept the voting for The Associated Press 2020 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award. Smith received 49 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league.
• Justin Herbert was the latest quarterback to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. The Los Angeles Chargers’ breakthrough star, chosen sixth overall in last April’s draft, is the second straight quarterback and the ninth since 2004, when Ben Roethlisberger became the first QB to take the award.
Not even a starter when the season began, Herbert stepped in during the Chargers’ second game when Tyrod Taylor was injured during a medical procedure. Herbert never looked back and set a rookie record with 31 TD passes.
• Washington edge rusher Chase Young ran away in voting for Defensive Rookie of the Year award. The first player for the Washington franchise to win it, Young led rookies with 71⁄2 sacks.
• Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll won the Assistant Coach of the Year award.
Daboll not only helped Buffalo to a 15-4 record and a spot in the AFC championship game, he oversaw the rapid development of quarterback Josh Allen in his third pro season.
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