Each year, I go division by division and nominate who I believe is each team’s candidate for the major NFL awards and then we discuss/declare who the division’s major award winner is for the season…and that player goes onto the divisional Final Four with a chance to go to the Super Bowl/Finals for a chance to be declared my seasonal award winner.
We go division-by-division each day, then to the Final Four for each conference, then the finals to name our winner the day the NFL announces their winners. *And my choices are usually different up and down the line in each category, so enjoy a different take on the NFL awards.
We also have FFM’s Ross Jacobs’ nominees by team, by division, by conference and his eventual winner to share along with my nominees and winners.
Two notes on the voting:
*MVP (any position, but usually offense)
**Coach of the Year (any coach on the staff, not just the head coach)
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AFC North: 2024 Season Awards Tournament: MVP
BAL: RB Derrick Henry, BAL
PIT: WR George Pickens, PIT
CIN: QB Joe Burrow, CIN
CLE: QB Jameis Winston, CLE
Yes, Jameis. The Browns were never better than when Winston was at QB. He gave them a spark. I’d dare say if they ditched Deshaun this summer and just went with Winston at QB from Week 1, and if their O-Line stayed healthy -- this could’ve been a totally different season. And they benched Winston late, in part, because (I think) they wanted to lose for draft pick reasons. But JW certainly isn’t the division MVP.
I wanted to honor George Pickens because he changed everything in games for the Steelers, when they decide to throw him the ball. The passing game was so flimsy otherwise with Russ or Fields, thanks to Art Smith. But when they just flung it up towards Pickens...magic tended to happen. And I think they will trade him this offseason. He’s not the division MVP, but an excellent player...and complete knucklehead. If Dan Campbell gets his hands on him...
Derrick Henry made Lamar, not the other way around. The big Lamar year was given via the fear of Henry by defenses. I so want to honor DH with the award, but you cannot short Joe Burrow...the best QB in the NFL, hands down, working under the worst of circumstances (compared top the other elite QBs). Burrow is a one-man force and is the MVP of the division.
AFC North Winner = QB Joe Burrow, CIN
*Ross Jacobs votes:
BAL – Lamar Jackson
PIT – Cam Heyward
CIN – Joe Burrow
CLE – Myles Garrett
AFC North – Joe Burrow
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AFC North: 2024 Season Awards Tournament: Rookie of the Year
BAL: CB Nate Wiggins, BAL
PIT: OL Zach Frazier, PIT
CIN: DT Kris Jenkins, CIN
CLE: OL Zak Zinter, CLE
Zak Zinter cut out quickly...he had a bad season, but he’s the nominee because this Browns draft was so bad.
Kris Jenkins out next. Solid rookie campaign, but not a division award winner.
Nate Wiggins was really good...a better rookie season resume than I thought he’d have, but Frazier had a great rookie resume as well. They both deserve the nod, but I’ll tip it to Frazier by a nudge.
AFC North Winner = OL Zach Frazier, PIT
*Ross Jacobs votes:
BAL – Nate Wiggins
PIT – Zach Frazier
CIN – Kris Jenkins
CLE – Michael Hall
AFC North – Zach Frazier
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AFC North: 2024 Season Awards Tournament: Defensive Player of the Year
BAL: CB Marlon Humphrey, BAL
PIT: OLB T.J. Watt, PIT
CIN: DE Trey Hendrickson, CIN
CLE: DE Myles Garrett, CLE
Three ace pass rushers and a corner. Let’s advance one of the pass rushers to face the corner. Everyone always rushes to Garrett & Watt, but I’m going to honor one of the unsung heroes of the Bengals defense for the past couple of years...how many sacks does Hendrickson need to get before people mention him on par with Myles Garrett? The last 3 seasons, Hendrickson has 43.0 sacks/85 QB hits, Garrett 44.0 sacks/84 QB hits.
Hendrickson vs. Humphrey...the pass rusher vs. the corner. Really, you could make it Henrickson v. Humphrey v. Kyle Hamilton, who has an argument for being the Ravens rep. But in the end, I value shutdown corners way above pass rushers...and safeties, and Humphrey had an excellent season leading the Ravens pass defense resurgence in the 2nd-half of the season. So, I go Humphrey over Hamilton...and Hendrickson.
AFC North Winner = CB Marlon Humphrey, BAL
*Ross Jacobs votes:
BAL – Kyle Hamilton
PIT – Cam Heyward
CIN – Trey Hendrickson
CLE – Myles Garrett
AFC North – Cam Heyward
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AFC North: 2024 Season Awards Tournament: Coach of the Year
BAL: S.A. Dean Pees, BAL
PIT: HC Mike Tomlin, PIT
CIN: O-C Dan Pitcher, CIN
CLE: HC Kevin Stefanski, CLE
I had to nominate someone from Cincy, so nod to the O-C for the big Joe Burrow year...but, seriously...do you think the O-C matters in Cincy?
Kevin Stefanski got a nod from me for tanking when it was needed. Most coaches don’t tank, but Stefanski did...smart. But he loses ground because he caused/coached this mess in the first place.
Mike Tomlin always wins...in the regular season. Dean Pees came in as the Special Defensive Advisor, and saved the Ravens defense (a bottom 2-3 defense the 1st-half of the season)...and he helped turn it around to an asset.
I want to give it to Pees, but I think Mike Tomlin deserves the nod for another Pittsburgh miracle of winning season despite having Fields-Russ-Art Smith.
AFC North Winner = HC Mike Tomlin, PIT
*Ross Jacobs votes:
BAL – John Harbaugh
PIT – Teryl Austin
CIN – Dan Pitcher
CLE – Chad O'Shea
AFC North – John Harbaugh
