JJ Watt wins NFL Defensive Player award

In 2015 he also led defensive lineman in tackles with 57 tackles.

He was named AP Defensive Player of the Year for the third time in his career.

The victory for Newton, the first Panther to win the award, was announced Saturday night during NFL Honors.

The Associated Press defensive player of the year award won’t be going to a new home this year. Hall of famer Lawrence Taylor is the only other person to win the award three times. The MVP, OPOY, DROY, OROY, Coach of the Year, Assistant Coach of the Year, and Comeback Player of the Year (plus DPOY) are voted on by a team of 50 media members and presented by the Associated Press, which published an article that explains how the awards are decided.

Recently there’s been talk of Watt-fatigue that may harm his chances to win a third DPOY award. Since entering the league in 2011, Watt leads the NFL in sacks (74.5), tackles for loss (132) and quarterback hits (209). In 2015, Houston’s defense finished third in the National Football League in yards allowed per game (310.2), third in pass yards allowed per game (210.4), fifth in sacks (franchise-record 45.0), tied for third in passes defensed (90) and tied for seventh in points allowed per game (19.6).

You have to think with three of the four vote getters being on playoff teams, and two of them in the Super Bowl that may have had something to do with the voting results.