Tyrann Mathieu, Juan Thornhill win Kansas City Chiefs midseason awards
By Matt Conner
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: TYRANN MATHIEU
This category wasn’t even close. Tyrann Mathieu is, by far, the favorite defender for the Chiefs through the first eight games of the year by a landslide.
That’s not to say that others haven’t come up big at times, but Mathieu has been a commanding presence in the secondary ever since he first arrived. He talks big off the field and isn’t afraid to make bold statements on social media or to reporters, but he’s also able to back up those sentiments with his incredible athleticism and instincts on the field.
Mathieu is a natural born leader who brings a swagger to the field and his teammates follow suit. Any ability of the Chiefs to turn the corner from the miserable defense last year begins with Brett Veach’s ability to land Mathieu in free agency.
Mathieu has only made a single Pro Bowl in his career back in 2015, but he’s been a revelation on a team with serious postseason aspirations. Here’s hoping he earns the league-wide respect that comes with being such a strong presence on and off the field.
(By the way, the only other vote here came in for the team’s sack leader, Emmanuel Ogbah.)