On Thursday night the NFL held its annual honors, and this year two Texans bring home awards. New head coach DeMeco Ryans was named the AP Assistant Coach of the Year, and Dameon Pierce received the angry golden scepter from Kyle Brandt winning the “Angry Run of the Year Award.”
While coach Ryans was not a staff member of the Texans this year, being the team that hired the AP Assistant Coach of the Year is great news after a disappointing season. Especially when he is a former star player, and the hire is unanimously praised.
That run by Dameon Pierce was tough. A bit reminiscent of the Beast Mode run, he throws or drags multiple defenders and rumbles his way inside the five-yard line. He breaks through seven tackles, and it takes an eighth and final Jacksonville Jaguar to end the play. Every Texans fan should watch that video and get fired up thinking of the possibilities for Pierce with a new coaching staff and some serious energy in the building.
The rest of the main awards and their winners were:
Most Valuable Player: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Coach of the Year: Brian Daboll, New York Giants
Comeback Player of the Year: Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
Offensive Player of the Year: Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
Defensive Player of the Year: Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Garrett Wilson, New York Jets
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Sauce Gardner, New York Jets
Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year: Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Three quick thoughts; first, how Brian Daboll wins coach of the year over Doug Pederson is beyond me. The NFL just loves them some New York no matter what. Second, if Dameon Pierce was healthy all season, he would have given Garrett Wilson a run for rookie of the year. Third, Jalen Hurts not winning MVP is an absolute crime. He was by far the most valuable player to his team. Snubbing him just adds fuel to the Philly vs. Everyone narrative.
But tonight, Hurts and Mahomes can settle it on the field. It’s time for the Super Bowl, everyone sit back and enjoy the two best teams from this season putting on a show!