2021 NFL Honors

As we approach the NFL Honors, we at Sportify reflected on the standouts from a tumultuous NFL season. We’ve got the usual suspects, with MVP, OPOY, DPOY, and COTY among others, but also wanted to show some love for the best coordinators in the league as well. Without further ado, here are our picks for the 2021 NFL Honors.

This isn’t breaking news, but Tom Brady is really good at quarterback. In his 22nd season he threw for 5316 YDS, 43 TDs and 12 INTs (in 17 games). Tom Brady threw 40 TDs twice after turning 42 (this year being his second year doing so at 44 y.o.), he threw for 40 TDs once in his 20 years before that. He had great weapons all season, but in classic TB12 fashion still targeted seven different receivers over 50 times. His retirement makes this bittersweet, and no one should have any problems with him winning the MVP this season if he does - it wouldn’t be a career achievement award. Tom Brady was one of the best players in the league this year at 44 years old. He’s looked better since coming to Tampa than he did the last few years in New England, and this season won’t just be one of the best seasons any athlete has had over the age of 40. Brady turned in arguably one of the top 3 seasons of his GOAT career, and he’s the best quarterback of ALL TIME. He’s not the betting odds favorite to win MVP, but stranger things have happened. Getting shut out in week one by the Saints was bizarre, even if they also got Aaron Rodgers to produce his worst week of the year. It was the most Brady was sacked all year, and in my opinion 44 years old is too old to be hit by an NFL lineman - even if you don’t eat strawberries. Tom Brady carried a beleaguered Patriots franchise into a two-decades-consuming empire, alongside the GOAT coach Belichick. Then in 2021 he moved somewhere with awesome weather, but devoid of NFL relevance since 2003… When the billboard hot 100’s top five songs looked like this:

While it was the first SuberBowl win in Tampa’s franchise history, it actually happened two years after Brady’s first SuperBowl win of his career. He’s the best to ever do it, and there’s a pretty solid chance we won’t see any athlete replicate this kind of career again. Tom Brady won his first SuperBowl in 2001 and his last SuperBowl in 2021. If anyone could win MVP and ride off into the sunset, it would be fitting that it was him.

After a season full of off the field nonsense, cancel culture strikes again in the form of Amanjit’s and Cole’s votes against Rodgers as the MVP. Just kidding. He acted like a jackass all year, but when he stepped behind center during the regular season - Aaron Rodgers could practically do no wrong. He threw for 4115 YDS 37 TDs with only 4 INTs (in 16 games) to go along with a number one seed in the NFC (which he blew, but this is a regular season award) and a completion percentage of 68.9% (3rd in the league). Rodgers led the league in passer rating, and percent of passes resulting in first downs. The Packers offense rolled all season despite losing their starting Tight End, All-Pro Tackle, All-Pro Guard and chances of hosting jeopardy. He had one dangerous weapon in the passing game and he went to him all season, obviously having Davante Adams for 16 games this season was a big part of his success… But let’s not pretend that Aaron Rodgers hasn’t had to make the best of his receivers in Green Bay. Rodgers’ second most targeted player of the season was Aaron Jones out of the backfield. He was awesome on the field all season, and frankly the meltdown in the playoffs was in part to his unwillingness to throw to anyone other than his top two options.That same loss has only produced jokes to get off at Rodgers while he’s publicly inviting them. I give to you, perhaps the only good thing to come from the Aaron Rodgers saga of spending too much time on the internet: https://twitter.com/kaushikisalive/status/1488060183133626368

He was the most efficient offensive player in the league, and outside of a horrible week one, no one was more consistently great this year than number 12 in Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers might be an asshole, but that doesn’t mean he’s not the MVP.

By: John

Despite several receivers having very impressive seasons, Cooper Kupp dusted the field in every relevant category. His incredible 145 receptions, 1947 yards, and 16 TDs were all good enough for first among receivers, and it wasn’t close (he had over 300 yards more than anyone else). Although he had an extra game to do it, Kupp became the first person to come close to breaking Calvin Johnson’s single-season yards record? As for how he did this, the name of the game for Kupp was consistency - only once this season did he finish with less than 90 receiving yards. No other player on offense had as remarkable a statistical season as him, with Jonathan Taylor being the only other non-QB in the conversation.

By: Cole

TJ Watt was my mid-season vote and he rewarded me by tying the all-time sack record (22.5) in one less game. Watt is a game-wrecker. It’s as simple as that. His presence commands respect on every snap and this was reflected in his yearly stats: 64 tackles, 63 pressures, 22.5 sacks, 21 tackles for loss, 39 QB hits, 7 defended passes, 5 forced fumbles, and 3 fumble recoveries. An absurd resume that ticks all the boxes for the DPOY

The advanced stats are where Watt may not be a clear winner. His 21.4% pass-rush win rate was only 4th in NFL and his double team rate is only around 17%. Other candidates such as Myles Garrett was around 19%, and Nick Bosa’s rate was at a ridiculous 25%. Despite this his 22.5 sacks are a juicy headline that should grant him a much deserved DPOY award.

By: Tristan

Returning to the field after suffering an injury like Joe Burrow’s torn ACL and MCL last year is impressive enough, but leading your team to it’s first division title since 2015 and to the SuperBowl is sensational. Burrow’s poise is well beyond that of most second year QBs, and his performances this season, especially towards the tail end with the division title on the line have been brilliant. He threw for 525 yards and four touchdowns to beat the Ravens in week 17, and followed up with another four touchdowns and 446 more yards against the Chiefs to clinch the AFC North title. He finished the year sixth in yards and with a completion percentage of over 70%, gaudy numbers for someone playing behind DVOA’s 31st ranked offensive line. As far as comebacks go… Not bad.

By: Cole

This one is a runaway. The 81 catches, 1455 yards and 13 TDs that Ja’Marr Chase put up this season are not likely to be matched anytime soon. Chase broke Justin Jefferson’s rookie receiving yards record just one year after it was set, finishing fourth in the league in yards among all pass-catchers, and third in receiving touchdowns. Whenever Joe Burrow needed a hero, Chase came through, prompting Burrow to admit to seeing the memes that portrayed him saying “F it, Ja’Marr is out there somewhere.” This was never more evident than Week 17 against the Chiefs, when Chase put up 11/266/3 to power the Bengals to victory with the AFC North title on the line. Mac Jones will be the only other person to garner consideration for this award, but his stats are pedestrian compared to Chase’s.

By: Amanjit

Similar to the previous award, our votes for defensive rookie of the year are unanimous. The Cowboys’ Micah Parsons was easily the most impactful defensive rookie and wasn’t far off from getting a DPOY vote. As a swiss-army knife, Parsons played both off-ball linebacker as well as edge. He recorded 84 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and 3 forced fumbles, but where he shined was as a pass rusher. Parsons ranked first in pressures (among rookies) with 57, and recorded 12 sacks despite having a double-team rate just over 20%. His play-speed and raw athleticism was on display every snap and his ability to play multiple positions had an enormous impact on the Dallas defense, who finished the year 2nd in defensive DVOA.

By: Tristan

Mike Vrabel’s coaching performance this year has been amazing, with injuries to key players on both sides of the ball, including losing star RB Derrick Henry halfway through the season. Vrabel was able to coach the Titans to the number one seed in the AFC, which is remarkable considering they set an NFL record with 91 players on the active roster this year. No other coach in the league was able to maximize their playing talent and find ways to win like Vrabel did this year, and we at Sportify have voted him as our unanimous pick for coach of the year.

By: Amanjit

Ryans was a fantastic linebacker back in the day and has turned in an impressive season as the first time defensive coordinator for San Francisco. Despite not having a balanced roster, every player on the defense plays hard. Their defensive line is the strength of their team, and is as disruptive as any in the NFL. Their linebackers have elite level speed and Fred Warner allows Demeco to run any type of coverage or concept. Their secondary is the weakest part of their team, but their corners consistently play with great technique and their communication between the safeties is incredible. It allows them to pass off receivers perfectly and play sound coverage despite not being the most skilled.

I know these awards are regular season only, but SF’s defensive game plan against the Packers in the divisional round was a masterclass. The calls by Ryans were perfectly timed and executed by the players and their defense was the only reason they were able to steal the game in the 4th quarter.

By: Tristan

The Bills only have one true star on defense, Tre’Davious White, who missed six games this season. Despite this Frazier made his defense the best in the league by using effective D-line rotations and getting everything he could out of his players. At season’s end, the Bills D ranked first in points per game, total yards per game and passing yards per game, all well ahead of teams with more star power like Tampa Bay and the LA Rams. This means that they had incredibly well-designed schemes and good play-calling, both of which can be attributed to Frazier.

By: Amanjit

*References: NFL, PFF, theAthletic