The annual NFL award show is tonight and the Pittsburgh Steelers have a horse in the race for Defensive Player of the Year. The top three candidates are outside linebacker TJ Watt, defensive lineman Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams, and cornerback Xavien Howard of the Miami Dolphins. According to SportsBettingDime.com , Watt is the odds on favorite at -180, while Donald and Howard are +220 and +600 respectively. Howard should still get plenty of praise as he led the league in interceptions (10) and passes defended (20), but at this point, the odds say it is a two-man race between Watt and Donald for the award. Donald, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year award winner (2017, 2018), was the favorite by the sportsbooks to reclaim his title to start the season, while Watt was a top 5 choice by many. It was truly a back and forth race all year between Donald and Watt but by the time the season ended, Watt became the favorite. This shouldn't be a surprise to many where the two positions they play are judged on making plays behind the line of scrimmage and getting after the quarterback. Watt not only led Donald in all the major categories, but the entire NFL. Watt led the NFL with 15 sacks, 23 tackles for loss, 41 quarterback hits, and 61 pressures. At this point, this could be the start to many Defensive Player of the Year awards for Watt as his numbers continue to climb as his career progresses.
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I would not call it far fetched that by the time Watt calls it quits, he could have won the award more than his older brother JJ Watt, who is a three-time winner. I would encourage all of Steeler Nation to tune into the NFL award show tonight to see if Watt is crowned the winner. You can catch it on CBS at 9 pm ET.
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