AROUND THE NFL Saturday’s news & notes

PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME

Bettis, Seau among those voted for enshrinement

PHOENIX

Jerome Bettis, Junior Seau, Tim Brown, Charles Haley and Will Shields were elected Saturday to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The class of 2015, announced a day before the Super Bowl, also includes a pair of contributors, Bill Polian and Ron Wolf, along with senior selection Mick Tingelhoff.

Five nominees were eliminated in the final vote: Tony Dungy, Kevin Greene, Marvin Harrison, Orlando Pace and Kurt Warner.

Earlier Saturday, the selection committee reduced the list of 15 modern-day finalists by cutting Morten Andersen, Terrell Davis, John Lynch and coaches Don Coryell and Jimmy Johnson.

A candidate needs 80 percent of the vote from 46 media members to get in.

The induction ceremony is in August at Canton, Ohio.

Seau, elected posthumously, was the only first-time eligible candidate to get in this year. He committed suicide at age 43 in 2012, and researchers who studied his brain said it showed signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a disease connected to repeated head injuries, including concussions.

His death, less than 21/2 years after the end of his playing career, resonated among players in the league, raising worry about the physical and emotional toll the sport takes.

A field-covering, hard-hitting linebacker, the charismatic Seau played in the NFL for 20 seasons, the first 13 with the San Diego Chargers, followed by three with Miami and four with New England. He was Defensive Player of the Year for San Diego in 1992, made six All-Pro teams, and was a member of the league’s All-Decade team of the 1990s.

Bettis, a finalist for the fifth time, was a burly running back nicknamed The Bus who began a 13-season career by earning Rookie of the Year honors for the Rams. He capped it by winning the 2006 Super Bowl with the Steelers in a game played in his hometown of Detroit.

His 13,662 yards rushing rank fifth in history and he had eight seasons of at least 1,000.

NFL AWARDS

Packers QB Rodgers named MVP as part of ‘NFL Honors’

PHOENIX

Aaron Rodgers has won his second Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player award in somewhat surprisingly easy fashion.

Rodgers, who also took the honor in 2011, received 31 votes for the 2014 award from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league. Houston’s J.J. Watt, seeking to become the first defensive player to win MVP since 1986, got 13 votes.

Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray, the 2014 Offensive Player award winner, and quarterback Tony Romo each got two votes. Patriots QB Tom Brady and Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner received one apiece.

Rodgers threw for 38 touchdowns and a league-low five interceptions; he has thrown 512 passes at home without a pick. He led the Packers to two victories at season’s end despite playing with a severe calf injury.

The award was presented at the “NFL Honors” show Saturday night.

Bruce Arians won The Associated Press NFL Coach Of The Year award for the second time in three years — with different teams.

Arians led Arizona to an 11-5 record in 2014 despite a rash of injuries, including to his top two quarterbacks. The Cardinals earned a wild-card berth, losing at Carolina in the playoffs.

Murray ran off with The Associated Press NFL Offensive Player Of The Year award for the 2014 season.

The Dallas Cowboys running back led the league in rushing with 1,845 yards — nearly 500 more than any other player — and also topped the NFL with 2,261 yards from scrimmage. He scored 13 touchdowns in helping Dallas win the NFC East.

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski won The Associated Press NFL Comeback Player Of The Year award for 2014.

Gronkowski easily outdistanced seven others receiving votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league.

Gronkowski was limited to seven games in 2013 because of knee problems. He returned in style — that style being powerful, aggressive and tough — to make 82 catches for 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Watt was a unanimous selection as The Associated Press NFL Defensive Player Of The Year for 2014.

The ultra-energetic and versatile Houston Texans end collected every vote from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league.

He is the first unanimous choice for an AP award since Tom Brady won Most Valuable Player in 2007, and the first for top defensive player under the current voting setup.

In his fourth pro season, Watt earned his second such honor with 201/2 sacks, 78 tackles — 29 for losses — 50 quarterback hits, four forced fumbles and 10 blocked passes.

He is the first NFL player with multiple 20-sack seasons. Watt also had 201/2 sacks in 2012, his other top defensive player season.

St. Louis Rams tackle Aaron Donald has won The Associated Press NFL Defensive Rookie Of The Year award for 2014.

New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., grabbed The Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie Of The Year award for 2014.

Best known for the play of the year, his one-handed snag of a touchdown pass while falling backward against Dallas, the first-round pick (12th overall) from LSU easily won against a loaded rookie class. Beckham received 42 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league.

Todd Bowles has won the first Associated Press NFL Assistant Coach Of The Year award.

Bowles won it as defensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals. He since has become the head coach of the New York Jets.

Associated Press