NFL Alumni Names Finalists For 2010 Player Of The Year Awards
Former Players to Choose Winners from among Modern-Day Counterparts
January 3, 2010
Newark, NJ -- The NFL Alumni Association has named the finalists for the 2010 NFL Alumni Player of the Year Awards. Under their new format, finalists will be selected in 11 categories (nine positional categories, Coach of the Year, and Player of the Year). Former NFL players will vote to select the winners. This year's finalists were chosen by legendary NFL coach and front office executive Bill Parcells.
New York Jets third-year tight end Dustin Keller has been named as a finalist at the Tight End position, along with Tony Gonzalez of the Atlanta Falcons and Jason Witten of the Dallas Cowboys. Keller, who is the only Jets player to be selected as a finalist, ranks near the top of the league among tight ends in every major offensive category.
Keller's has emerged as a primary target for quarterback Mark Sanchez this season, surpassing his mark of 522 receiving yards last season in Week 12 of the 2010 campaign. As the Jets head into the post-season, Keller is expected to play a key role in the team's march toward Super Bowl XLV. Last season, he led the AFC in post-season touchdowns with one in each of the Jets three playoff games, and led all NFL tight ends (and was 7th among all NFL receivers) with 181 receiving yards.
The NFL Alumni Player of the Year Awards finalists are:
OFFENSE
Quarterback – Tom Brady (New England Patriots), Philip Rivers (San Diego Chargers), Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers)
Running Back – Jamaal Charles (Kansas City Chiefs), Maurice Jones-Drew (Jacksonville Jaguars), Michael Turner (Atlanta Falcons)
Wide Receiver – Greg Jennings (Green Bay Packers), Reggie Wayne (Indianapolis Colts), Roddy White (Atlanta Falcons)
Tight End –Tony Gonzalez (Atlanta Falcons), Dustin Keller (New York Jets), Jason Witten (Dallas Cowboys)
Offensive Lineman – Jahri Evans (New Orleans Saints), Jake Long (Miami Dolphins), Josh Sitton (Green Bay Packers)
DEFENSE
Defensive Lineman – Ndamukong Suh (Detroit Lions), Kyle Williams (Buffalo Bills), Mario Williams (Houston Texans)
Linebacker – Clay Matthews (Green Bay Packers), Cameron Wake (Miami Dolphins), Patrick Willis (San Francisco 49ers)
Defensive Back – Troy Polamalu (Pittsburgh Steelers), Asante Samuel (Philadelphia Eagles), Aqib Talib (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER
David Akers (Philadelphia Eagles), Dustin Colquitt (Kansas City Chiefs), Devin Hester (Chicago Bears)
COACH of the YEAR
Todd Haley (Kansas City Chiefs), Lovie Smith (Chicago Bears), Mike Smith (Atlanta Falcons)
PLAYER of the YEAR
Clay Matthews (Green Bay Packers), Troy Polamalu (Pittsburgh Steelers), Philip Rivers (San Diego Chargers)
The 2010 awardees will be announced at the 29th annual NFL Alumni Player of the Year Awards Show Presented by Allstate Insurance, to be held Friday, February 4, 2011, at Union Station in Dallas, Texas. During the awards ceremony, each honoree will receive his NFL Alumni Player of the Year award from former NFL player counterparts and TV/entertainment celebrities. Veteran NFL commentator Gus Johnson will serve as Master of Ceremonies for this year’s event.
Voting for the NFL Alumni Player of the Year Awards will open to all retired NFL players on Monday, January 3, 2011
