Myles Garrett vs. T.J. Watt: How Browns star became SN's first back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year since 2015

Browns DE Myles Garrett swept most Defensive Player of the Year awards with a dominant season in 2023, but the award was a point of contention this season with no player definitively separating himself from the pack. Despite a stellar season from Broncos CB Patrick Surtain II, a league-leading 17.5 sacks from Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson, and another strong push from Steelers OLB T.

J. Watt, Garrett's peers made their voices clear: Last season's Defensive Player of the Year still reigns. NFL players voted Garrett the 2024 Sporting News Defensive Player of the Year, making him the first player since J.

J. Watt to win the award in back-to-back years and the third to win the award more than once. Here's a look at what separated Garrett from the pack in the players' eyes.

MORE: Full history of Sporting News NFL award winners Why Myles Garrett is SN's 2024 Defensive Player of the Year While Garrett's 2024 season might not have generated as much buzz as his 2023 campaign due to the Browns' dismal record, you would be hard-pressed to find much separation between the two seasons for the former No. 1 pick. Garrett matched his 2023 total with 14 sacks, recorded a career-high 22 tackles for loss, and posted 28 quarterback hits on his way to an All-Pro selection.

Garrett's 44 pressures finished fourth in the NFL, and he ranked third in quarterback knockdowns. Garrett clearly ranked among the best pass-rushers in the NFL this season, but the numbers make a case for both Garrett and Hendrickson. The difference was Garrett's work against the run.

He graded 11th out of 211 edge rushers as a run defender, according to Pro Football Focus, with Hendrickson ranking 67th. Surtain was another major contender after a terrific season that saw him snag four interceptions, miss no tackles, and force a 58.9 passer rating when targeted by quarterbacks.

The frontrunner for AP Defensive Player of the Year, Surtain certainly had a strong case to become only the third cornerback to win the Sporting News honor. Finally, there's Garrett's chief rival: T.J.

Watt. The Steelers star didn't have the sack production he did in 2023, finishing this season with 11.5, but he remained one of the NFL's top pass-rushers with 27 quarterback hits, 19 tackles for loss, and a league-high six forced fumbles.

A standout run defender, as well, Watt was the runner-up to Garrett but fell short of winning the award for the second time. Ultimately, players put records aside and decided Garrett was the complete package: a ferocious pass-rusher who could defend the run and still perform at an All-Pro level in the worst of circumstances. As Garrett said after the Browns-Steelers game in November , Defensive Player of the Year still runs through him.

As the 2024 Sporting News Defensive Player of the Year, Garrett joins J.J. Watt and Aaron Donald as one of three players to receive the honor multiple times.

NFL HQ: Live NFL scores | Updated NFL standings | Full NFL schedule Sporting News Defensive Player of the Year winners Since 2008, J.J. Watt has the most Sporting News Defensive Player of the Year awards with three.

Season Winner Team Position 2008 Albert Haynesworth Titans DT 2009 Charles Woodson Packers CB 2010 Clay Matthews Packers DE 2011 Jared Allen Vikings DE 2012 J.J. Watt Texans DE 2013 Luke Kuechly Panthers LB 2014 J.

J. Watt Texans DE 2015 J.J.

Watt Texans DE 2016 Khalil Mack Raiders DE 2017 Calais Campbell Jaguars DE 2018 Aaron Donald Rams DT 2019 Stephon Gilmore Patriots CB 2020 Aaron Donald Rams DT 2021 T.J. Watt Steelers DE 2022 Nick Bosa 49ers OLB 2023 Myles Garrett Browns DE 2024 Myles Garrett Browns DE.