INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Dan Quinn is staying in Dallas, accompanied by his AP Assistant Coach of the Year award.
Last month, the defensive coordinator for the Cowboys and former Falcons head coach told other teams interested in hiring him that he was going nowhere. He went somewhere in balloting by a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league — right to the top.
Quinn was fired by the Falcons in 2020 after compiling a 46–44 record as a head coach.
Quinn received 31 votes in results announced at NFL Honors. He was one of 12 assistants to get a selection, but second place was far back: Buffalo defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier with four.
A defensive coordinator for Seattle’s Super Bowl champion for the 2013 season, Quinn turned around a unit in Dallas. The Cowboys were seventh in scoring defense and second in the NFL in interception rate, with cornerback Trevon Diggs leading the league with 11 picks.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Other award winners
Aaron Rodgers won his fourth AP Most Valuable Player Award.
The Green Bay quarterback who led the Packers to the best record in the NFL during the 2021 season, became the second player with at least four NFL MVPs; Peyton Manning won it five times.
Following offseason turmoil surrounding whether Rodgers wanted to play in Green Bay, then one of his worst career performances in an opening loss to New Orleans, Rodgers got rolling. So much so that he took his second straight award, receiving 39 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league.
Tampa Bay QB Tom Brady was second with 10 votes in balloting revealed at NFL Honors. Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp, this season’s Offensive Player of the Year, received the other vote.
The commotion continued in the regular season over Rodgers’ vaccination status -- he missed one game when testing positive for COVID-19 and needing a 10-day quarantine after earlier saying he had been “immunized.” But he pretty much shrugged it off and wound up throwing for 37 touchdowns, a league-low seven interceptions, an NFL-high 111.9 passer rating, while also dealing with a toe injury that limited his mobility.
Rodgers also won the award in 2011 and 2014.
Kupp added the AP Offensive Player of the Year award to his triple crown of receiving for the 2021 season.
The Rams wideout led the NFL with 138 receptions, 1,829 yards receiving and 15 touchdown catches while leading Los Angeles to the NFC West title. A unanimous All-Pro, he received 35 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league. Kupp finished far in front of Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (10 votes), Brady (three) and Rodgers (2).
Kupp was so productive while working with a new passer, Matthew Stafford, that he had 14 games with at least 10 catches, no games with fewer than seven. Though he isn’t the fastest nor strongest wideout, he had 100 yards receiving in 11 contests.
Kupp, who of course will play in Sunday’s Super Bowl, became the fourth Ram to win the award, announced at NFL Honors. He follows running backs Eric Dickerson (1986), Marshall Faulk (1999, 2000, 2001) and Todd Gurley (2017).
T.J. Watt of the Steelers was named defensive player of the year.
Mike Vrabel of the Titans earned AP Coach of the Year honors.
Credit: AJC
Joe Burrow’s rookie season was cut short by a knee injury in his 10th game with a 2-7-1 record. The Bengals quarterback sure made up for that in 2021. Burrow won the AP Comeback Player of the Year award as he led Cincinnati’s worst-to-first improved in the AFC North. Burrow earned 28 votes from a nationwide panel of media who regularly cover the NFL, with Dallas QB Dak Prescott receiving 21 and Chargers safety Derwin James getting the other vote.
Cincinnati wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase won the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Dallas linebacker Micah Parsons swept the voting for AP Defensive Rookie of the Year.
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