NFL: GMC Sierra Defensive Player Of The Year
Candidates For GMC Sierra Defensive Player of the Year Honors Announced
01/05/2009
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STEELERS LB JAMES HARRISON, TITANS DT ALBERT HAYNESWORTH, DOLPHINS LB JOEY PORTER, RAVENS FS ED REED &
COWBOYS LB DE MARCUS WARE CANDIDATES FOR
2008 GMC SIERRA DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR HONORS
Fans To Vote For Winner On NFL.com
The National Football League today announced the five finalists for the 2008 GMC SIERRA DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR award.
2008 GMC SIERRA DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
JAMES HARRISON
Linebacker
Pittsburgh Steelers
ALBERT HAYNESWORTH
Defensive Tackle
Tennessee Titans
JOEY PORTER
Linebacker
Miami Dolphins
ED REED
Free Safety
Baltimore Ravens
DE MARCUS WARE
Linebacker
Dallas Cowboys
Fans can vote for these five players on NFL.com/GMC through 3:00 PM EST on January 29 to determine the 2008 GMC SIERRA DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR.
The winner of the 2008 GMC SIERRA DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR will be announced on January 29 on NFL.com.
The five finalists were selected for their outstanding performances throughout the 2008 NFL season. Each week, five nominees were chosen for GMC Sierra Defensive Player of the Week and NFL fans voted for the winner on NFL.com. Those results were used to help determine the finalists.
Following is a closer look at the five 2008 GMC SIERRA DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR finalists:
JAMES HARRISON (Pittsburgh Steelers) – Harrison recorded a career-high 101 tackles and totaled 16 sacks during the season, including three in Week 1 in the Steelers’ 38-17 win over the Houston Texans. In Week 11, Harrison had a sack, forced a fumble and recorded a safety in one play, and also returned an interception 33 yards in the Steelers’ 11 – 10 win over the San Diego Chargers. Harrison led the Steelers’ defensive effort with nine tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles, both recovered by Pittsburgh, in the Steelers’ 33-10 win over the New England Patriots in Week 13. Harrison was nominated for two GMC Sierra Defensive Player of the Week awards, winning twice.
ALBERT HAYNESWORTH (Tennessee Titans) — Haynesworth finished the season with a career-high 8.5 sacks and seven quarterback pressures to contribute to the Titans’ overall defensive effort. In Week 1, Haynesworth sealed the Titans’ 17-10 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars with his nine-yard sack of David Garrard on the final play of the game. In the Titans’ 30-17 Week 4 win over the Minnesota Vikings, Haynesworth recorded two sacks, six tackles and one defensed pass to propel the defensive effort. Haynesworth was nominated for one GMC Sierra Defensive Player of the Week award, winning once.
JOEY PORTER (Miami Dolphins) – Porter led the Dolphins with 17.5 sacks for a total of 96 yards in losses in 2008, the highest single season sack total by a Dolphins linebacker and first in the AFC and second in the NFL. Porter contributed 47 tackles and four forced fumbles to the defensive effort and notched four multiple sack games this season bringing his career total to 17 multiple sack games. In the Dolphins’ 38-13 win in Week 3 over the New England Patriots, Porter sacked QB Matt Cassel four times. Porter has a total of 81 career sacks, the most among linebackers since becoming a full-time starter in 2000 and the fourth-most overall over those nine years (2000-2008). Porter was nominated for three GMC Sierra Defensive Player of the Week award, winning once.
ED REED (Baltimore Ravens) – Reed registered an NFL-best nine interceptions in 2008, including two returned for touchdowns. Reed set an NFL record with his 107-yard interception returned for a touchdown in the Ravens’ 36-7 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 12. Reeds’ 264 total return yards ranked second in the NFL. Reed recorded a staggering four dual-INT games this season, and now has eight two-pick games for his career. In addition to his two INT-TDs, he had a 22-yard fumble recovery TD in Week 14 that spurred the Ravens’ 24-10 win over the Washington Redskins. Reed was nominated for four GMC Sierra Defensive Player of the Week awards, winning once.
DE MARCUS WARE (Dallas Cowboys) – Ware has established himself as one of the top pass rushers in the league, collecting a league-best 53.5 sacks since 2005. With his 20.0 sacks in 2008, Ware became the first Cowboys defender to reach 20 sacks in a season since sacks became an official statistic in 1982. Ware’s 2008 sack total also ties Derrick Thomas for the second-most sacks in a season by a linebacker in league history. With at least one sack in each of the last three games of the 2007 season and the first seven games of the 2008 season, Ware tied a league record of consecutive games with at least one sack (10). Ware tied his career-high with 3.0 sacks three times this season and added 84 tackles and six forced fumbles. Ware was nominated for two GMC Sierra Defensive Player of the Week awards, winning once.
This is GMC’s fourth year as the official vehicle of the NFL and the second year that GMC will present the Defensive Player of the Year award.
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