The Associated Press unveiled the finalists for eight of its 2023 NFL awards, including the five players vying for MVP, on Thursday. The seven-year veteran from Texas A&M had another impressive season with the Cleveland Browns in the team's postseason appearance that ended after the wildcard round.
The first overall pick of the 2017 draft continued to showcase his game-wrecking abilities this season, amassing a total of 42 combined tackles, with an impressive 14 sacks. In the initial 10 weeks, Garrett led the NFL with 13 sacks before adding just one more over the Browns' final seven games.
Despite a decline in sacks, Garrett remained a formidable presence on the defensive line, concluding the season with 30 quarterback hits and 37 total pressures. PFF highlights that Garrett secured the highest pass rush win rate (27 percent) in the NFL for the past season.
Garrett was awarded the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA) Defensive Player of the Year but is still waiting on AP's NFL honor. The PFWA has presented this award since 1992, while the Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year Award, established in 1971, is considered the official award for the NFL.
Finalists were selected through The AP's updated voting system, where voters rank their top five choices for MVP and top three for other awards. The winners are set to be announced during the 13th annual NFL Honors ceremony on Feb. 8, 2023, with live coverage on CBS and NFL Network, as well as streaming on Paramount+ and NFL+.
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