Presenting the George Awards, for NFL excellence

Players that Halas might even love.

George Halas was nobody’s figurine. He was the MVP of the Rose Bowl with the Great Lakes Navy team, in 1919, before there even was a Rose Bowl. He was in the Navy in World War I, won a bronze star in Europe in World War II.

He was player-coach-general manager-bursar of the Decatur (Ill.) Staleys, who, in 1921, won the second championshp of what would grow into the NFL. He once made Jim Thorpe fumble and recovered it and ran it 98 yards, a league record for 49 years. The Staleys, representing a starch manufacturer, won that title after they moved to Chicago, and in 1922 Halas named them the Bears. That was Halas’ first championship. In 1963, still coaching the Bears, he won his sixth. Somehow, through all those years, he saw eye-to-eye with the owner, who was also George Halas.

He played major league baseball in the Yankees organization and did not discourage the notion that he was replaced by Babe Ruth, although he wasn’t true. As Papa Bears go, he was a grizzly.

He was fond of saying, “Find out what the opponents wants to do, and take it away,” which also ranks high on Bill Belichick’s list of commandments. Belichick passed Halas for second place on the coaching wins list this season, although he had longer seasons and much longer postseasons.

There probably would have been an NFL, eventually, without Halas, but he was the catalyst, and the Super Bowl trophy should have borne his name. It doesn’t, so the individual NFL awards should.

The winners should get a George. Beginning now.

Most Valuable Player: Jalen Hurts only threw 22 touchdown passes and ranked 10th in air yards. Never mind. He was second in rushing touchdowns (13) and keyed a Philadelphia offense that rolled through the NFL until the moment he got hurt. Then it started firing again when he healed. He made great decisions for four months and beat people with his feet, arm and leadership. He also improved dramatically. Shouldn’t be close.

Offensive Player of the Year: Patrick Mahomes led Kansas City to the AFC first-round bye, led the league in passing yards and was second in passer rating and TD passes. He also did it without Tyreek Hill.

Defensive Player of the Year: Nick Bosa of San Francisco had two more sacks than anyone else and knocked down the quarterback seven more times than anyone else. When he was in the game, the opposing passer rating was 15 points lower than when he wasn’t.

Offensive Rookie of the Year: Kenneth Walker started only 11 games for the Seahawks but was 12th in NFL rushing, and ninth in yards per game. In 228 carries he did not fumble once. Tough call over Garrett Wilson of the Jets and Chris Olave of the Saints.

Defensive Rookie of the Year: Not a tough call. Cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner of the Jets quickly turned half the field into a no-fly zone and did not give up a touchdown all season. He led the league with 20 pass breakups and was the first rookie CB to make first-team All-Pro since Ronnie Lott in 1981.

Passer of the Year: Mahomes.

Receiver of the Year: Justin Jefferson’s other 127 catches were pretty good, too, not just his sky-pluck at Buffalo that still rules the Internet.

He caught eight more passes than anyone else and had 99 more yards, and continued to make the Vikings look smart for picking Jefferson 22nd in the 2020 draft. He was the fifth receiver picked, one slot behind Eagle bust Jalen Reagor.

Runner of the Year: Only two rushers topped 90 yards per game, with the Raiders’ Josh Jacobs at 97.2 per game and Tennessee’s Derrick Henry at 96.1. Jacobs fumbled half as many times (three to six) and was more of a long threat, but defenses loaded up on Henry, because Jacobs had Davante Adams as a teammate. Jacobs gets it after a measurement and a booth review.

Tackler of the Year: Foye Oluokun led the league in tackles last year in Atlanta and did it again this year in Jacksonville. He might be the best Ivy League defensive player in the NFL since Gary Fencik, also from Yale, a famous member of the ‘85 Bears.

Kicker of the Year: Houston’s Ka’imi Fairbairn was 6-for-6 from 50 or more yards and converted 29 of 31 field goals overall.

Blocker of the Year: When tackle Trent Williams returned to the 49ers’ lineup in Week 7 they lost to Kansas City, then won every game thereafter. He gave up one sack all season.

Coach of the Year: The Bills are perceived as the Josh Allen Show, but coach Sean McDermott has supervised perhaps the most complementary team in the NFL, with both units ranking in the top ten in yards per play. McDermott also was pitch-perfect during and after the Damar Hamlin crisis.

Offensive Coordinator of the Year: The hot coaching name right now is the Lions’ Ben Johnson, whose offense had the fewest turnovers in the league and scored on 43.2 percent on their drives. He and the organization also helped put Jared Goff back together.

Defensive Coordinator of the Year: If there was ever a tap-in coaching hire it’s DeMeco Ryans, the 49ers defensive coordinator who played six years with Houston, which has a vacancy. The Niners allowed the fewest points in the league, took the ball away on 15.3 percent of possessions, and allowed a score on a league-low 25.7 percent.

Position Coach of the Year: The Eagles’ offensive line is probably the best group in the NFL, on either side, and Jeff Stoutland has been its coach for ten years, after his lines helped Alabama win back-to-back national championships.

Executive of the Year: At the end of 2021 the Eagles were strong on both lines but lacked the horsepower to get far in the playoffs. Howie Roseman’s moves made the Eagles dynamic on the perimeter, irresistible on the run, and watered down absolutely none of their muscle up front.

Execu-Stiff of the Year: It had to be an ownership decision, but it goes on the resume of the Broncos’ George Paton, who procured a shell of Russell Wilson in exchange for three serviceable players, two first round picks, a fourth rounder and a fifth rounder. Thus Seattle wound up with the fifth pick in the 2023 draft when Denver cratered. Paton is still there, but Broncos’ owners are participating heavily in off-season decisions.

Bad Coach of the Year: Derek Carr was considered a solid quarterback until Josh McDaniels got hold of him. The Raiders were 6-11 and lost to the Rams, Colts and Chargers, and Carr will probably be released, for a quarterback to be determined. McDaniels, who flopped in Denver, was considered radioactive when he accepted the Indianapolis offer and then reneged. How many more chances? A lot of Black coaches, in particular, are wondering.

Play of the Year: Jefferson, at Buffalo.

Game of the Year: The Vikings trailed Indianapolis 33-0 at halftime and 36-7 with 4:53 to go in the third quarter. Then they scored on touchdown drives of 75, 61, 50 and 64 yards that took up a combined 7:43. A 40-yard field goal in overtime gave Minnesota a 39-36 lead, the biggest comeback win in league history, and a permanent memory.