Aaron Rodgers named NFL's Most Valuable Player for second time
Sunday 1 February 2015 11:57, UK
Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers won his second MVP award while Houston's J.J. Watt took the top defensive honours.
Rodgers, also the 2011 Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player award winner, took this one in somewhat surprisingly easy fashion over Watt. The Packers quarterback received 31 votes for the 2014 award from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league. Houston's Watt, who was seeking to become the first defensive player to win MVP since 1986, got 13 votes.
Rodgers threw for 38 touchdowns and a league-low five interceptions this season. He has thrown 512 passes at home without a pick. He also led the Packers to two victories at season's end despite playing with a severe calf injury.
"I feel so fortunate to live out my dreams, year after year," Rodgers said.
Meanwhile Watt became the first unanimous choice for an AP award since Tom Brady won Most Valuable Player in 2007, and the first for top defensive player under the current voting set-up.
"It's special," he said. "It's a testament to my coaches and team-mates and everything they did throughout the year. There are so many people who helped make this possible."
NFL rushing leader DeMarco Murray of the Dallas Cowboys won Offensive Player, while the Arizona Cardinals swept coaching honors. Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski took the Comeback Player award, but was not on hand because New England are playing Seattle in Sunday's Super Bowl.
Murray, who ran away with the rushing title with 1,845 yards - nearly 500 more than any other player - also topped the NFL with 2,261 yards from scrimmage. He scored 13 touchdowns on his way to helping the Cowboys win the NFC East.
Bruce Arians took his second Coach of the Year award in three seasons after leading his injury-ravaged Arizona Cardinals to an 11-5 record and a wild-card playoff berth. He was the top coach in 2012 as an interim, stepping in for the ill Chuck Pagano and leading the Indianapolis Colts to the postseason.
His defensive coordinator at Arizona, Todd Bowles, won the first Assistant Coach of the Year award. Bowles has parlayed his work with the Cardinals into a head coaching job with the New York Jets.
New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who made the play of the year with a one-handed snag of a touchdown pass while falling backward, was voted top offensive rookie. Beckham tied Michael Irvin's NFL mark with nine consecutive games of 90 yards receiving and finished with 91 receptions for 1,305 yards and 12 TDs.
St. Louis Rams tackle Aaron Donald won top defensive rookie honors. A force against the run and the pass, Donald had 37 tackles, nine assists, and led all rookies with nine sacks. He was one of three rookies initially selected for the Pro Bowl.
