T.J. Watt will have to be content with winning the Pittsburgh Steelers team MVP award for the 2020 season.
A contender for AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors, Watt came up short Saturday when voters selected New England Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore.
Gilmore became the first defensive back to win Defensive Player of the Year since Steelers safety Troy Polamalu in 2010.
In his ninth NFL season and third with the Patriots, Gilmore had an NFL-high six interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. He also led the league with 20 pass deflections while playing on the NFL’s best unit in terms of scoring defense and total defense.
Gilmore received 21 votes followed by Arizona Cardinals linebacker Chandler Jones with 14 and Watt with 10.
In his third season with the Steelers, Watt had a career-high 14½ sacks and contributed two interceptions, eight passes defensed, eight forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.
Watt was the first player since 2008 to have at least 14½ sacks, 14 tackles for loss, 36 quarterback hits, eight forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in a season. He also was the seventh player since sacks became an official NFL statistic in 1982 to record at least 14 sacks and four fumble recoveries and the only one in that group to have two interceptions.
Watt’s brother, J.J., has won the award three times with the Houston Texans.
Steelers linebacker Devin Bush also finished behind San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa for Defensive Rookie of the Year. Bosa won easily with 43 votes. Maxx Crosby of the Oakland Raiders had four votes and Bush two. Josh Allen of the Jacksonville Jaguars had one vote.
Bosa finished the regular season with nine sacks, one interception, two passes defensed, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. He had three more sacks and a pass defensed in the postseason to help the 49ers reach Super Bowl LIV.
Bush led the Steelers and all NFL rookies with 72 solo tackles and 109 total tackles, and he tied for second with four fumble recoveries. Bush was the first Steelers player to eclipse 100 tackles in his rookie season.
In Coach of the Year voting, the Steelers’ Mike Tomlin had four votes to finish fourth. Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh won the award.
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