LAS VEGAS -- If 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa had a do-over on winning 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, he would’ve tried to be in the moment more.
“I feel like I was so nervous for my speech that I wasn’t able to enjoy it when I was up there,” Bosa said Wednesday at the Super Bowl when asked by cleveland.com. “But afterwards, it was fun.”
Garrett, who tied for seventh in the NFL with 14 sacks, is a finalist for this season’s award, which will be announced Thursday night at the NFL Honors show here. He’s up against Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland, who led the NFL with nine interceptions, and three other edge rushers — Steelers 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year T.J Watt, the Raiders’ Maxx Crosby, and the Cowboys’ Micah Parsons.
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“I think he’s probably the frontrunner,” Bosa said. “He’s so fun to watch. I think he had a really good year. I think he got put in a scheme, an attack scheme, defensive line-wise that’s really accentuated all of the good things he does. I love to watch him, and it will be fun to see who wins.”
Finishing with his lowest sack total 2020, Garrett’s 14 were five behind Watt’s league-leading 19. He was tied with Parsons and just behind Crosby’s 14.5. Garrett also forced four fumbles to tie for second in the NFL with Watt and Minnesota’s Danielle Hunter. Miami’s Bradley Chubb was first with six. Garrett added 17 tackles for a loss and 30 QB hits.
“There’s so many good defensive players and good defensive linemen, so whenever you get a chance to win that, it’s a big honor,” Bosa, the 2019 No. 2 overall pick out of Ohio State, said. “It feels good (to win it).”
Garrett has a good chance to win based on the results of The Associated Press NFL All-Pro voting, where he received 40 first-place votes to Watt’s 32. Garrett was also voted defensive player of the year by the Pro Football Writers of America, and the winner has been the same as the NFL winner in six of the last seven years.
“He’s an absolute problem on the edge,” said 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk, a native of Medina, Ohio. “So good in every facet of the game, both run and pass. So if he were to win that award, he 100% deserves it.”
Former Browns safety Tashuan Gipson, now with the 49ers, hopes Garrett wins.
“I think he’s a heck of a player,” he said. “I tell people this all the time, if it wasn’t for Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, I think Myles is the best defensive player in the league. I have so much respect for his game. What he can do on the edge is just crazy. He’s a freak athlete. He’s not just a testing guy. He can implement that. he can bend the the corner like he’s running a 4.5.
“It’s always fun to watch guys like that. I love the game. Guys like that, those are blue-chip guys. If he gets that, congrats to him. I know that would be huge for the city and huge for the team, and he deserves it. He worked his way there. I love watching him play. He’s going to be great for a long time.”
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