Brian Daboll, Doug Pederson and Kyle Shanahan are finalists for The Associated Press’s 2022 NFL Coach of the Year Award.
Winners will be announced at the NFL Honors on February 9th. A nationwide panel of 50 members of the media who regularly cover the league completed the voting before the start of the playoffs.
Daboll led the New York Giants to a 9-7-1 record in his first season as head coach. Pederson led the Jacksonville Jaguars to a 9-8 record and an AFC South title in his freshman year with the team. Shanahan led the San Francisco 49ers to a 13-4 mark, including 5-0 on the stretch with rookie quarterback Brock Purdy on the third row.
Purdy, Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III and New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson are the finalists for AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Purdy, the last player selected in the draft, filled in after injuries to Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo. He’s 7-0, including two playoff wins, and helped the Niners reach the NFC Championship game this Sunday in Philadelphia.
Walker led all rookies with 1,050 rushing yards and nine TDs. Wilson led all rookies with 83 catches and 1,103 yards receiving.
Jets cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen are the finalists for AP Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans and Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen are the finalists for AP Assistant Coach of the Year.
This was the first year for the AP’s new voting system. Voters chose the top 5 for MVP and the top 3 for all other awards. For MVP, first place was worth 10 points. The votes for second through fifth place were worth 5, 3, 2, and 1 points.
For all other awards, the votes were 5 points for first place, 3 for second place, and 1 for third place.
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