In an anonymous player poll, Pittsburgh Steelers OLB T.J. Watt won the Defensive Player of the Year award, narrowly edging out Dallas Cowboys CB Daron Bland. Greg Auman of Fox Sports helped take the poll, conducted at the Pro Bowl.
Watt finished with six votes, while Bland had 5.5 as someone split their vote between him and Cleveland Browns DE Myles Garrett. Auman wrote that the first seven votes went to different players, with 13 total players receiving at least one vote. Garrett came in third behind Bland and Watt.
Bland had an impressive season with an NFL-record five interceptions returned for touchdowns.