With NFL Honors right around the corner, the staff of NFL Network has officially announced their picks for the annual NFL end-of-season awards… including 2023-24 Defensive Player of the Year.
With 11 votes in his favor, Pittsburgh Steelers star edge rusher T.J. Watt was named NFL Network’s Defensive Player of the Year, winning by a two-vote margin over AFC North rival Myles Garrett. The debate of who should win the award between the two has been a hotly contested one, despite the fact that Watt has outproduced Garrett in almost all categories this season.
Watt has received several accolades following the 2023-24 season, including first-team All-Pro honors as well as a standing on the Pro Football Writers of America All-NFL Team, in addition to being named the AFC Defensive Player of the year by the NFL Committee of 101. It was also announced Thursday that Watt was named to the Sporting News NFL All-Pro team (as was Garrett).
Other players to receive votes include Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys (8 votes), as well as Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland (2 votes) and Las Vegas Raiders DE Maxx Crosby (2 votes).
