This year’s NFL MDP Award — Most Delusional Person — has to go to pass-rush guru Chuck Smith, who predicted that one of his clients, Steelers linebacker Bud Dupree, would be the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.
Smith might as well have predicted the Cleveland Browns to go 19-0.
Dupree had eight games where he recorded one or fewer solo tackles. Fewer than one would be none, which happened against Jacksonville (regular season) and Cleveland. Digest that for a moment.
Dupree had no forced fumbles (one in his 38-game career). He had six sacks. He rarely beat a tackle one-on-one.