The first-ever NFL Honors ceremony was held last Saturday to recognize great individual efforts by players during the year. Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees, who earned league MVP and Offensive Player of the Year honors, headlined the event.
However, for ASU fans, one name called during the ceremony was more important than the other, more marquee players.
Former Chandler Hamilton High School and ASU standout Terrell Suggs was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Suggs was honored for his defensive work last season with the Baltimore Ravens. He recorded 14 sacks, an AFC-leading seven forced fumbles and two interceptions as he helped lead the Ravens to a 12–4 record and a division title.
Suggs was a force for the ASU football program — which he later jokingly renamed “Ball So Hard University” while being introduced on Monday Night Football last season — from 2001-02, where he finished his career with 44 sacks, 14 forced fumbles and two interceptions. He was recognized as a first-team All-American after his sophomore season and set an NCAA single-season record of 24 sacks in his junior campaign.
Suggs beat out Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen for the award with 21 votes to Allen’s 14.
“I want to thank my teammates especially my mentor, my brother Ray Lewis and Ed Reed,” Suggs said after receiving the award during the ceremony. “I want to thank my coaches for putting the pressure on me every week. And I got to thank the Ravens organization because not all the times I acted like a pro, but they stood behind me.”
— Trevor Paxton
Click here to subscribe to the daily State Press newsletter.
