The 2019 National Football League awards are testaments to the excellence achieved by players and coaches throughout the regular season. 

This year, there were no surprises among the recipients, as they all performed above and beyond expectations for their squads. 

There could have arguments made for other players and coaches, but they only take away from the accomplishments of the winners. 

Rookies of the Year

For Offensive Rookie of the Year, the contenders were Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals, Josh Jacobs of the Las Vegas, then Oakland Raiders and A.J. Brown of the Tennessee Titans. 

Brown led all rookie wide receivers with 1,051 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. The second-round pick from Ole Miss finished second in yards per catch with 20.2, as he provided the Titans with a consistent deep threat down the sideline and a big target in the red zone. 

Jacobs was the biggest surprise, as the Alabama product was the bell cow running back for the Silver and Black. Averaging 19 attempts per game, Jacobs set the Raiders’ rookie record for rushing yards with 1,150. He also set the Raiders’ rookie record for rushing touchdowns with seven. 

However, the award had to go to the first overall pick of last year’s draft, Murray. 

Known as the quarterback of the future for the Cards, Murray led all rookie passers with 3,722 passing yards and a completion percentage of 64.6. 

His accuracy, along with his game-breaking abilities on the ground put the control of every game in Murray’s hands, guiding Arizona to a more prosperous future. 

For Defensive Rookie of the Year, there was virtually no contest. 

The other two finalists, Maxx Crosby of the Raiders and Josh Allen of the Jacksonville Jaguars, performed well this season. 

Allen led all rookies with 10.5 sacks, while Crosby was a jack-of-all-trades on the defensive line. Forcing four fumbles, as well as recording 10 sacks and 47 tackles, Crosby was a presence for the Raiders. 

However, Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers was the unequivocal rookie of the year. Bosa was part of the fearsome foursome on the defensive line for the NFC Champions that limited opponents to the fewest passing yards in the league. 

Individually, Bosa had 47 tackles, 16 of those for loss and nine sacks for the Niners. A force for the garnet and gold, Bosa took after his brother, Joey, by being a disruptor at all facets of the defensive game. 

Coach of the Year

For Coach of the Year, there were many options. 

In the AFC, John Harbaugh placed a tremendous amount of trust in his rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson and the running game. 

Calling the most running plays in the NFL this season, Harbaugh led the Baltimore Ravens to their best regular season in franchise history with a 14-2 record. 

While Baltimore’s rise was not unexpected, Buffalo Bills’ head coach Sean McDermott was a surprise. 

His time spent as a defensive coordinator in Carolina paid dividends for the Bills this season. Establishing a top-five defense in the league, Buffalo looks to have a foundation for the future. 

In the NFC, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan led a renaissance, guiding a four-win 49ers squad from last year to the Super Bowl.Establishing a suffocating defense and a potent running attack, Shanahan helped rediscover San Francisco’s winning culture. 

Because of the polarizing play of the Ravens this season and the swagger exhibited throughout all levels of the organization, Harbaugh took home the coach of the year award for the first time.

Offensive Player of the Year

If there is one thing that can be said about this season, it is that the league was not starving for offensive performances. 

Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens was the NFL’s most eye-popping player this season. Every snap he took constituted much-watch television and the opportunity to witness greatness missing since the days of Michael Vick in Atlanta. 

Down in Carolina, Christian McCaffrey, named first-team All-Pro in two positions, virtually carried the Panthers to a sense of relevance. 

Devoid of Cam Newton for the majority of the season, McCaffrey lugged the load, leading the league in touches with 403, touchdowns with 19, as well as yards from scrimmage with 2,392. He became only the third player in NFL history to join the 1000-1000 club, an exclusive group of players who both caught and ran for 1000 yards or more. 

However, he was not the only one to set new records this season. The offensive player of the year, Michael Thomas, set the NFL single-season record for most receptions with 149. 

 In addition, he led the league with 1,725 receiving yards. If there was any doubt as to the greatness of Thomas’ skillset, it has been utterly obliterated. 

He has cemented himself as the number one target for one of the most potent passing attacks
in the league today and his ceiling is high.

Defensive Player of the Year

Arguments could be made for the Defensive Player of the Year, as the finalists were all outstanding in their own way. 

Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams led the league with 20 tackles for loss, as he earned the title of the most expensive defensive player in the history of the league. 

A dominant force on the defensive line, Donald was a pass-rushing, run-stopping demon who contributed 12.5 sacks in the Rams’ attempt at an NFC title defense. 

Staying in the west, Cardinals defensive end and linebacker Chandler Jones had himself one the most quietly dominant seasons in recent memory. 

Jones led the league in forced fumbles with eight and finished second with 19 sacks, as he established his place as a cornerstone of Arizona’s future defensive plans. 

T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers also had a great season, contributing eight forced fumbles and 14.5 sacks. The first-team All-Pro made it a weekly ritual to harass quarterbacks around the league, recording 36 quarterback hits. 

However, it is only fitting that the best defensive player comes from the team with the best defense. Shutdown cornerback Stephon Gilmore was nothing short of incredible this season for the New England Patriots. 

Leading the league with 20 passes defended and six interceptions, Gilmore had the power to eliminate receivers from game plans across the league, daring quarterbacks to throw to his side of the field.

Most Valuable Player

For only the second time in NFL history, the MVP was unanimous. 

There are many adjectives that could be used to describe Baltimore Ravens quarterbacks Lamar Jackson. However, the most apt adjective to describe him is simply the best. He led the league in Total Quarterback Rating, passing touchdowns and rushing yards per attempt. 

The first-team All-Pro set the NFL record for the most rushing yards for a quarterback in a season with 1,206. 

Jackson was incredibly efficient, leading the league in touchdown percentage at 9%. 

Jackson forced respect out of the media for his passing acumen and from his opponents for his ability to turn the game on its head. 

The Ravens quarterback is ready for the bright lights that his future projects to be.