NFL end of season awards: Tom Brady's protector to Alvin Kamara's cunning

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With Super Bowl LV done and dusted we take a look at the heroes and villains from the 2020 season Derrick Henry makes short work of Josh Norman during an extraordinary season for the running back. Photograph: Wade Payne/AP MVP The NFL lost a great man on Friday. Chris Wesseling, a writer for NFL.com and member of the Around The NFL podcast crew, died from cancer at the age of 46. The football world is truly a poorer place without his expert analysis, wit and warmth. Chris’s strength to share his first diagnosis in 2017 on the show inspired me to reach out to him for support on Twitter after my own cancer diagnosis in January 2018. He took the time to share some of his wisdom and, because his help through some dark days was invaluable, I promised to buy him a beer if he came to London. Chris turned out to be rather more classy than myself. After my own recovery the following summer, we met during his stay in London for the international series and the prosecco flowed, then the cocktails courtesy of Roger Goodell. I attempted to explain how Alastair Cook was the Randy Moss of cricket, as he was recording from the Oval the next day, and a nickname was bestowed upon my shoulders – ‘Single Jingle’. Thank you Wess, my MVP. (A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Wess’s widow and young son here.) Offensive player of the year I can try and make a case for Davante Adams, Stefon Diggs, Dalvin Cook and a host of quarterbacks, but the Associated Press got it right: Derrick Henry is incredible. Most backs would crumble under the sheer weight of carries the Titans expect of Henry but the 247lb wrecking ball rumbled on. He put up the fifth-most yards ever for a running back in a season, at 2,027. The ego-crushing stiff arm of Josh Norman deserved its own trophy. Defensive player of the year TJ Watt had a monster year for Pittsburgh but the ultra impressive Aaron Donald may never relinquish the crown while he still has a step. Watt led the league in sacks, tackles for loss and quarterback hits but the numbers pale in comparison with Donald’s success at his own position. Donald was the most double-teamed interior lineman in the league, and still had the highest pass rush win rate. Watching him destroy offenses so routinely is a sweeter sight than any highfalutin throw from a QB. Watt also loses out thanks to writing “DPOY” on paper every day in team meetings. Weird. Rookie of the year The fourth offensive tackle taken in last year’s draft was tasked with keeping Tom Brady clean this season and you don’t need to look at his stats to know he did a pretty good job. But one does allow a glimpse of his greatness for Tampa Bay. In 799 pass-blocking snaps, Tristan Wirfs allowed only one sack. Coach of the year Sean McDermott has put together a formidable unit in Buffalo, where the Bills won their first AFC East title for 25 years. McDermott’s flashy offense, underpinned by Josh Allen’s rapid improvement at quarterback, was box office all season. McDermott has steadily improved the Bills since taking over in 2017 and will surely be plotting his way to Super Bowl LVI. Play of the year Alvin Kamara’s 52-yard receiving touchdown in week three against Green Bay. Kamara turns lead into gold via six missed tackles and an endzone angel. It may not be “Hail Murray” but it showcases the extra grind the running back has to find each week in the Saints offense. Few other backs can routinely spin plays that should return negative yardage into something special. Hero of the year In possibly the lowest moment of the season, one man emerged – barely – to live out every gruesome second of misery that armchair quarterbacks would endure if given the keys to an offense. Kendall Hinton did it for Denver so we don’t have to. Quite what must have been going through Hinton’s mind as starting passer Drew Lock and backups Brett Rypien and Blake Bortles decided masks were optional when hanging out with Covid-positive colleague Jeff Driskel, we will never know. Hinton, who had not played quarterback since college, had two picks to one completed pass in the Broncos’ beatdown by the Saints. But his performance will live longer in the memory than anything those bozos ever serve up. Bonehead(s) of the year Atlanta’s special teams unit step on down. The Falcons must be commended on their steadfast dedication to finding unique ways to lose season on season. We travel to the Cowboys in week two. With two minutes to play Dallas are two points behind and have an onside kick. If Atlanta remember the rules they win but, unsurprisingly, collective amnesia strikes. The commentator’s blasé “it’s got to go 10 yards” summarises just how pathetic the onside kick was and how innate a receiving team’s response should be. Just jump on it, someone! No Falcon does, and the Cowboys go on to win the game. Destination Deshaun offseason champion It is time for those New York Football Jets to soar once again. They have the capital and the sexy new head coach (worked rather well for the Browns), Robert Saleh. So go get your man and set the hype train in motion. Hyperbole aside, Deshaun Watson would have a solid offensive line to go to work behind, an essential tool for such a talented quarterback, and one that was sadly missing from his time with the Texans.

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