Pittsburgh Steelers

Ogunjobi spent his first four seasons with the Cleveland Browns before recording a career-high seven sacks, a team-high 12 tackles for loss and 49 total tackles last season for the Cincinnati Bengals.  

This is the second time this offseason that Ogunjobi has agreed to a free-agent contract, signing a reported three-year, $40.5 million deal with the Chicago Bears in March before that deal fell through when he failed his physical.  

Ogunjobi started 16 games last season for the Bengals but suffered a season-ending right foot injury during a Wild Card round victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. 

Ogunjobi will replace the retired Stephon Tuitt as the third starter on the Steelers' defensive line, along with Cameron Heyward and Tyson Alualu.

He should help Pittsburgh improve a run defense that finished 32nd in the NFL last season in rushing yards allowed and 32nd in rushing yards per attempt. 

The 15th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Haskins spent two seasons in Washington before his release at the end of last year.

Haskins, 23, went 3-10 as a starter with Washington, where he completed 267 of 444 passes for 2,804 yards, 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 16 games in total.

He was released following a tumultuous week during which he was forced to apologise after he was pictured partying without a mask at a strip club following Washington's Week 15 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

The Steelers confirmed the signing of Haskins on Thursday, along with defensive back Stephen Denmark and tight ends Charles Jones and Dax Raymond.

Haskins' arrival in Pittsburgh comes amid uncertainty over the future of star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Roethlisberger turns 39 in March and could be set for retirement, although recent reports suggest there is optimism the two-time Super Bowl champion will return for another season.

The push rusher had been placed on the list on Monday in the latest setback in Pittsburgh's season, the Steelers having previously seen Ben Roethlisberger and Minkah Fitzpatrick also miss time due to positive tests.

Watt had only just returned after injury kept him out of the 41-10 rout at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals, in which he recorded just two combined tackles.

The Steelers are said to have been sending practice footage to Watt all week so that he is apprised of the team's plan to face the Ravens.

Despite a difficult season for the Steelers (5-5-1) on the whole, Watt is a candidate for the AP Defensive Player of the Year, with 12.5 sacks and 41 tackles in nine games.

His 13 tackles for loss put him fourth in the NFL this season, behind Myles Garrett (15) and Micah Parsons and Nick Bosa (both 16)

Speaking to former NFL linebacker Channing Crowder on The Pivot podcast, Watt said his accomplishments – which include tying a league record for sacks in a season in 2021 – still pale in comparison to those of his older brother J.J., a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year award recipient.

Though his most recent seasons have often been marred by injuries, J.J. Watt became the first player in NFL history to earn Defensive Player of the Year honours three times in a four-year span when he did so in 2012, 2014 and 2015. That feat has since been matched by Los Angeles Rams superstar Aaron Donald, whose run was ended by the younger Watt's superlative 2021 campaign in which he recorded 22.5 sacks. 

"I want people to understand how great my brother truly was in his prime," T.J. Watt said. "I think it gets lost today, and I know he'd be upset if I said this, but I think it truly is. You go back, and you look, you watch the film, the guy was frickin' unstoppable. Absolutely unstoppable.

"I think I'm too early in my career to compare myself to him at the moment, honestly."

T.J. Watt does compare favourably with his sibling in at least one important category, as his 72 career sacks are the third most in league history of any player through his first five seasons since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.

J.J. Watt ranks second on that list with 74.5, trailing only Hall of Famer Reggie White's 81.

The elder Watt, now a member of the Arizona Cardinals after spending 10 of his first 11 seasons with the Houston Texans, has recorded only one double-digit sack season since 2016 – mainly because he has had trouble staying on the field. The 33-year-old has been limited to eight games or fewer four times in that six-year stretch.

"I think people need to go back and look at that," T.J. Watt said about his brother's past dominance. "The guy was doing incredible things for four or five years, and I think he can still play at a high level."

T.J. Watt enters this season with a chance to make some history of his own after producing at least 13 sacks in each of the last four years. The only player with a streak that long since 1982 is White, who did it from 1985-88 and again from 1990-93.

Watt is listed as questionable for Sunday's clash after injuring his groin in last week's 26-17 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.

But the three-time Pro Bowler is hopeful of suiting up at home to the Bengals at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.

"Doesn't matter how many reps I get throughout the week," Steelers star Watt said on Friday. "I was able to still run around here and do a lot of things that I need to do to keep the door open for Sunday.

"I'm excited to get the rest of today and tomorrow to continue to improve my body and see where I'm at on Sunday.

"... This isn't going around and playing Pee Wee football. This is playing against guys doing this for a living, so trying to be smart.

"At the same time, knowing your body more than anything. I felt like I did a good amount this week to leave the door open for Sunday."

Cincinnati ended a 10-game losing streak to Pittsburgh when the Bengals (1-1) beat the Steelers (1-1) 27-17 in Week 15 of last season.

In the all-time series, the Steelers have 65 wins in their 101 games against the Bengals, which is the most wins by any team against Cincinnati.

The Steelers, meanwhile, were held to 39 yards rushing in their loss to the Raiders, bringing the team's season rushing total to a league-worst 114 rushing yards.

Since Mike Tomlin became head coach in 2007, Pittsburgh have been held to under 40 yards rushing in 20 different games with only the Arizona Cardinals having more such games in that span (22).

Benny Snell Jr's six-yard touchdown run followed by George Pickens' two-point conversion were the only scores in the final quarter, after the Colts charged back with two third-quarter TDs to claim a 17-16 lead at the final change.

Rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett completed 20 of 28 passes for 174 yards, along with 32 rushing yards from six carries, as the Steelers improved to 4-7. The Colts, who came into the game second in the AFC South, fall to 4-7-1.

The Colts had rallied from a 16-3 half-time deficit with touchdowns to Jonathan Taylor – sparked by Dallas Flowers' 89-yard kickoff return – and Michael Pittman Jr.

Matt Ryan passed for Pittman for his only touchdown of the game, completing 22 of 34 passes for 199 yards with one interception.

At 16-10, the Colts coughed up a costly fumble as Ryan and Taylor botched an exchange at first-and-goal from the one-yard line, which was recovered by defensive end Chris Wormley. Indianapolis gave up two turnovers for the game, with their season tally up to an NFL-high 21.

The Steelers offensive had 172 rush yards, with four players totalling at least 30 for the first time in the same game since 1999, with Snell (62 yards on 12 carries), Najee Harris (35 on 10), Anthony McFarland Jr (30 on six) and Pickett.

Harris crossed for the only first-half TD on a six-yard second-quarter run, with Matthew Wright converting three-of-three field goals.

Pickett – the first QB off the board in the 2022 NFL Draft – started for the first time in last week's big defeat to the Buffalo Bills.

But the rookie bounced back in some style against Tom Brady, securing a narrow lead before exiting the game midway through the third quarter. The Steelers protected that advantage to win 20-18.

Pickett had thrown his first career touchdown pass to Najee Harris on Pittsburgh's first drive.

A sloppy end to the first half allowed the Bucs to close the gap, but they headed in at halftime without having scored a TD – a first for a Brady team against the Steelers.

Pittsburgh lifted their game again following the restart, trading field goals before a hit on Pickett saw him leave the game, and was then ruled out.

Mitch Trubisky picked up the baton, though, connecting with Chase Claypool for another TD before Brady and Leonard Fournette belatedly responded.

A successful two-point conversion would have tied the game with time left for the Bucs to win it, but Brady's attempt was batted away, and Trubisky saw out only a second Steelers win of the year.

Another New York defeat for Packers on return to Lambeau

The Green Bay Packers gave up a home game to play in London for the first time in franchise history last week, losing to the New York Giants. And a return to Lambeau Field did little to lift Aaron Rodgers and Co., who fell to 3-3 with a 27-10 home loss to the New York Jets.

In fact, the Packers crowd appeared to turn on their team when a blocked punt gifted the Jets – now 3-0 on the road to start a season for the first time since 2010 – a two-TD lead their opponents could not recover from.

The Giants built on their upset of the Packers by doing the same to the Baltimore Ravens. They had trailed Green Bay 20-10 at halftime in Week 5 and were this time down by the same score in the fourth quarter, recovering for a 24-20 win to move to 5-1.

The Atlanta Falcons lost in Week 5 but also had momentum to carry into a matchup with the San Francisco 49ers after a 15-point fourth quarter against the Bucs. Following five straight games decided by seven points or fewer, the Falcons coasted to a 28-14 success.

Ryan extends Jags' miserable road run in AFC South

The Jacksonville Jaguars have not won a road game against an AFC South rival since 2017, a losing sequence of 13 games heading into Sunday's trip to the Indianapolis Colts.

It appeared as though Trevor Lawrence was to lead the Jags to a long-awaited win when the Colts trailed by a point at the Jacksonville 33 with just 23 seconds to play.

But Matt Ryan, having earlier passed Dan Marino (61,361) to climb to seventh all-time for passing yards, completed a pivotal TD pass to Alec Pierce to prolong the Jags' misery.

Roethlisberger revealed in January that he is planning to return for an 18th NFL season, ideally with the Steelers.

The 38-year-old's current deal would see him count for $41.25million against the salary cap in Pittsburgh.

As question marks remain over the two-time Super Bowl champion, Tollner provided an update on Tuesday.

"They want Ben back and will contact me soon to address his cap situation," Tollner NFL Network's Aditi Kinkhabwala.

"As we've shared since the season ended, we are happy to creatively adjust his contract to help them build the best team possible. A year ago, Ben wasn't sure if he could throw again, but he battled back to get 12 wins and the eighth division title of his career.

"They lost steam down the stretch and that doesn't sit well for him, so the fire burns strong and there is plenty of gas in the tank."

Roethlisberger threw for 3,803 yards with 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2020, helping the Steelers finish the regular season with a 12-4 record that was enough to win the AFC North.  

However, after reaching 11-0 at one stage, Pittsburgh suffered a late-season slump that continued into the playoffs, as the Steelers lost 48-37 to divisional rivals the Cleveland Browns in the Wild Card round.  

A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Roethlisberger threw four touchdowns and 501 yards but was also picked off four times in the defeat to the Browns on January 10. 

He will now be reporting to practice after signing an extension with the Steelers with a new three-year contract on Thursday. 

The 26-year-old Johnson was entering the final season of his rookie deal, and in his new contract he’ll be paid $36.71million over the next two years, according to NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo. 

"I felt it in my gut it was the right move for me and my family," Johnson said. "I am just glad to get back to work. I love being a Steeler. I love it here. Just being around my teammates, the atmosphere, the energy they show every day. I feel like I made the right choice to continue to be here for a long time." 

The extension includes $27million guaranteed, and Johnson will be able to hit free agency in 2025, giving him an opportunity to sign another big deal when he’s still in his prime if he’s able to replicate the success he enjoyed last season. 

Johnson had a career year in 2021, tying for fifth in the NFL in receptions (107, along with Mark Andrews) and ranking 10th in receiving yards (1,161) while hauling in eight touchdown receptions to earn a Pro Bowl selection. 

Selected in the third round of the 2019 NFL draft, Johnson has 254 career receptions – the most for anyone drafted in 2019 – for 2,767 yards and 20 touchdowns. 

Finalising a new deal early in camp was important for the Steelers as it will give Johnson time to work on his chemistry with the three quarterbacks vying for the starting job in Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph and rookie Kenny Pickett following the retirement of future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger. 

Chris Boswell's 40-yard field goal lifted the Steelers (5-3) as Cairo Santos' last-gasp 65-yard effort fell short in Pittsburgh on Monday.

Justin Fields had led the rallying Bears (3-6) to a 27-26 lead with less than two minutes remaining, dazzling with a 16-yard pass to Darnell Mooney during the closing stages as Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers were left with work to do.

Roethlisberger (21-of-30 passing for 205 yards and two touchdowns) fuelled a seven-play drive to get Boswell into position for the game-winning kick – the Steelers snapping a three-game skid against the Bears as Santos, who had made 40 consecutive field goals, four short of the all-time record, failed in his reply.

No team in NFL history had more wins on Mondays than the Steelers entering the contest and they set out to extend that run after Najee Harris' 10-yard rush gave the hosts a 7-0 lead at the end of the opening quarter.

The Steelers continued to dominate – Roethlisberger throwing touchdown passes to Pat Freiermuth in the second and third quarters for a commanding 20-6 advantage heading into the final period.

T.J. Watt also reached 60 career sacks in his 69th appearance, with only three players reaching the mark in fewer games – Hall of Famers Reggie White and Derrick Thomas, and brother J.J. Watt.

Chicago erased the deficit behind Mooney, who rushed for a score and caught Fields' (17-of-29 passing for 291 yards, a TD and interception) throw in the fourth quarter, but the Steelers had all the answers in a tight finish.

Switzer, fellow receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and running back James Conner were part of the workout with Roethlisberger, who said earlier in the offseason that he had been holding back during rehab to strengthen the elbow without overworking it.

"You know, like when the ball cuts through the air and you can hear that 'pfft-pfft-pfft' sound," Switzer told The Athletic.

"That's what JuJu said it sounded like.  I didn't hear it but, man, I have been trying to catch with no gloves for a couple of months to build up these callouses but ask my hands how they feel catching his throws."

Switzer has participated in sessions with Roethlisberger since February, so he knows exactly how much progress the quarterback has made.

"It's leaps and bounds different from when he first started," Switzer said. "There was no restraint, no hesitancy, he was just out there. He has been throwing like that for a while, and in my opinion at least, getting out there on that field for the first time and throwing full-speed routes was refreshing."

Roethlisberger will be entering his 17th NFL season and ranks fifth among active quarterbacks with 363 passing touchdowns and fourth with 56,545 yards.

The matchup was set to be pushed back from Sunday to Monday or Tuesday after the Titans confirmed three players and five personnel staff had contracted COVID-19.

However, the matchup was then removed from the Week 4 schedule following three further positive tests for Tennessee, two players and one among the staff.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Friday that another two Titans players had tested positive.

With Week 4 now serving as a bye week for the Titans and Steelers, the NFL confirmed the adjustments to the schedule.

Pittsburgh will visit Tennessee on October 25, with the Titans' scheduled Week 7 clash with the Baltimore Ravens on that date moving to Week 8 and taking place on November 1.

Baltimore's bye week will move up from Week 8 to Week 7 as a consequence of the changes.

Both Tennessee and Pittsburgh are 3-0 through the first three games of the season.

The game was pushed back from Sunday to Monday or Tuesday after the Titans confirmed three players and five personnel staff had contracted COVID-19.

However, following two further positive tests in the Tennessee camp, one for a player and one among the staff, the teams will now meet later in the season.

An NFL statement released on Thursday read: "The Pittsburgh-Tennessee game scheduled for Week 4 will be rescheduled to later this season after one additional Titans player and one personnel member tested positive for COVID-19 today. An announcement of the new game date will be made shortly.

"The decision to postpone the game was made to ensure the health and safety of players, coaches and game day personnel.

"The Titans facility will remain closed and the team will continue to have no in-person activities until further notice."

Though the entire NFL preseason slate was scrapped this year, this is the first instance of a regular-season game being postponed because of the coronavirus crisis.

The Titans and Steelers have both started 3-0, two of seven NFL teams yet to lose a game through three weeks.

Conner, who survived a bout with Hodgkin lymphoma in 2015-16, could be considered a high-risk individual. He will have a second test to confirm the positive result.  

A Pittsburgh assistant coach also produced a positive test, and the organisation is conducting contact tracing to limit the outbreak.  

The positive tests come after the Steelers placed defensive end Stephon Tuitt, defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs and offensive lineman Jerald Hawkins on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Friday. 

Pittsburgh was originally scheduled to play their Week 12 game against the Baltimore Ravens as a part of Thursday's Thanksgiving Day slate, but the contest has been postponed twice due to over a dozen positive tests in the Ravens camp.

For now, the matchup is still scheduled for Tuesday.

The NFL informed clubs on Friday to engage in virtual team activities only for Monday, November 30 and Tuesday, December 1, attempting to prevent the spread of the virus between teams as cases spike across the country.  

The Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Rams, Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals were also among the teams who changed practice plans or closed team facilities this week.

Pittsburgh have been impacted by coronavirus this NFL season, with star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and Minkah Fitzpatrick both missing time due to positive tests.

Steelers push rusher Watt is the latest to land on the COVID-19 list after returning from a one-week absence caused by knee and hip injuries in Sunday's 41-10 rout at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Watt recorded just two combined tackles as the Steelers suffered their first season sweep at the hands of the Bengals since 2009, stretching their winless run to three games.

The three-time Pro Bowler, who has missed two games this season, is now likely to sit out Sunday's matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.

Pittsburgh's humbling defeat left the Steelers 5-5-1 but still within striking distance of the final AFC Wild Card spot, which is currently possessed by the Los Angeles Chargers, who defeated Watt's team 41-37 in Week 11.

The Steelers' final six games are all against playoff contenders. They face the Ravens twice and also have games with the Minnesota Vikings, Tennessee Titans, Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns.

A 31-20 victory over the San Francisco 49ers at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium earned veteran Andy Reid his first ring as head coach, while quarterback Patrick Mahomes became the youngest player to be named both MVP - an honour he won a year ago - and Super Bowl MVP in NFL history.

With Mahomes just 24, the Chiefs will have aspirations of dominating for the foreseeable future and replicating the two dynasties the New England Patriots and Tom Brady enjoyed with six Lombardi Trophies across two decades.

However, winning back-to-back Super Bowls is no mean feat - no team has done it since the Patriots 16 years ago - so we take a look at which teams could prevent Kansas City from winning it all again in Tampa Bay next February.

BALTIMORE RAVENS

The best team in the NFL's regular season fell at the first hurdle in the playoffs as the 14-2 Ravens were upset at home by the Tennessee Titans.

That was a deflating note to end on for quarterback Lamar Jackson, who was voted the NFL's MVP by unanimous vote 24 hours before Mahomes won his first ring.

Jackson is just 23, most of the Ravens' star players are expected to return and coordinators Greg Roman and Wink Martindale will likely be back alongside Coach of the Year John Harbaugh.

If Jackson is able to replicate or even exceed what he did in his first full year as the starter, the Ravens might be bound for Tampa next year.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Long live the kings? Don't count on it.

The 2019 season felt like the end of an era as Father Time looked he had finally caught up with 42-year-old quarterback Brady.

Yet those who have written off New England in the past have often ended up looking incredibly foolish.

The Patriots have 19 straight winning seasons, the best head coach in the game in Bill Belichick and had the NFL's number one defense in 2019. Brady's future remains uncertain but one final push for a Lombardi is certainly not beyond the realms of possibility.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

The nearly men of the past three seasons; Saints fans have been crushed by a trio of playoff defeats featuring walk-off plays.

New Orleans will believe they will be playing January football again after three straight seasons with double-digit wins.

Sean Payton remains one of the preeminent offensive minds, Michael Thomas broke the single-season record for receptions in 2019 and an underrated defense complements a free-scoring offense.

At 41, Drew Brees' career is coming to an end, but, presuming he decides to return next season, the Saints will surely be contending again.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

The Steelers only went 8-8 in 2019 but San Francisco's transformation from 4-12 to 13-3 and a Super Bowl berth is evidence of how the NFL can quickly turn on its head.

What should give Steelers fans cause for optimism is that they won eight games without their starting quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger.

Roethlisberger was still playing at an elite level prior to his 2019 season-ending injury, leading the league in passing yardage with a career high 5,129 yards in 2018.

Combine that with an impressive young defense and a head coach tried and tested in the postseason and you have the recipe for another Super Bowl run.

ARIZONA CARDINALS

A left-field suggestion, sure, but look at the significant strides both Mahomes and Jackson took in their second years in the league.

Offensive Rookie of the Year Kyler Murray believes he can make a similar leap in 2020 and, if he can, look out.

Arizona's offense under rookie head coach Kliff Kingsbury hummed at times in going 5-10-1 in 2019 and the addition of more weapons in free agency would significantly aid Murray's development.

Their biggest problem, beyond fixing a porous defense, is finding a way to come out on top in a division that contains the NFC's last two Super Bowl representatives - the 49ers and Los Angeles Rams - as well as postseason regulars the Seattle Seahawks.

Watt left the game in the fourth quarter of the Steelers' wild 23-20 overtime win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1.

The Pittsburgh pass-rusher had played a key role in stifling Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who finished with five turnovers – four interceptions and a lost fumble.

Watt dominated the game with six tackles, three tackles-for-loss, an interception and a sack, but the Steelers now fear he faces an extended period on the sideline.

"I'm appreciative of the effort – it wasn't without cost," said coach Mike Tomlin afterwards, revealing Watt was "being evaluated with an upper body injury".

Running back Najee Harris was also being evaluated having exited the game with a foot injury.

The reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year winner suffered a torn pectoral in the fourth quarter of a wild 23-20 overtime opening victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

According to NFL Network' Ian Rapoport, Watt tore a muscle but not the tendon, which could mean his absence is as short as six weeks. There had been concerns Watt's season could be over already.

The prospect of Watt avoiding surgery will be welcome in Pittsburgh, where Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin also pointed to positive news regarding the pass rusher.

Tomlin has yet to add Watt to the injured reserve list and said: "We're not in hurry to gather information too quickly. We will see how his body responds, we'll get second and third opinions and then at the end of the week or at some point we will do what's appropriate."

He added: "I can definitively say that T.J. won't play this week, but I won't make any commitments beyond that."

The clash with the Patriots takes place on Sunday, by which time the picture regarding Watt's likely return should be clear.

Watt shared an image on social media on Tuesday of Arnold Schwarzenegger's famous "I'll be back" catchphrase, from the Terminator movie. That has been interpreted as the 27-year-old suggesting his season is not over.

Tomlin further explained Pittsburgh's stance, adding: "Let me say this, we're probably in a lot better place than we were after the game and usually that's the case.

"That's why I don't always say too much after the game, even though there might be speculation out there."

The star edge rusher is set to be a free agent in 2022 and, regardless of whether he remains in Pittsburgh beyond 2021, is primed to receive a lucrative contract following a stellar start to his career.

A first-round pick in 2017, Watt has 49.5 sacks to his name since entering the league, with that tally third behind three-time Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald (57.5) and Chandler Jones (50).

Still only 26, Watt can likely expect a deal in the region of the five-year, $135million extension signed by Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa in July last year.

But, as the Steelers continued their preparations for the 2021 campaign with their mandatory minicamp, Watt decided against discussing his talks with Pittsburgh.

"With respect to the process, I'm not going to be talking about any contract stuff today, " Watt told reporters.

Watt missed out on the Defensive Player of the Year award despite a 2020 season that saw him lead the league in sacks with 15. Donald was second with 13.5, though his pressure rate (28.2%) was superior to that of Watt (25.8).

However, Watt is not thinking about being snubbed for that prize.

"I don't think it's driving me. [The] big thing for me is realizing all the plays I didn't make last year," he added. 

"Yeah, there's a lot of good from last year, but there's still a lot to improve on."

Watt was announced as the winner during the NFL Honours ceremony in Los Angeles, following in the footsteps of three-time winner J.J. Watt. 

He took the award after racking up 22.5 sacks in 2021 but, following a campaign in which the Steelers were eliminated in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, is only using the accomplishment as further fuel going into 2022.

"I just want to thank my parents. Mom, dad, this is insane," said Watt. "My brothers, Derek and J.J., you guys have pushed me so much to get me to this point.

"My beautiful fiancee, Dani, for being my number one supporter. My team-mates and coaches back in Pittsburgh, this is truly not possible without you guys.

"There are so many guys that put in so much work that goes unnoticed. That's everyone from the guys in the cafeteria to the guys that are taping ankles. This ones for all of you guys.

"I grew up coming to this awards show, I think five or six times, and never came home with hardware. But every time I left more motivated than the time I got here. I promise this only motivates me more.

"I feel like I'm just about to be entering the prime of my career and that's why more than ever I just want to continue to find ways to get better at this game.

"That's why I love football so much. There's always room for improvement and I'm not satisfied. I'd much rather be playing in the Super Bowl this weekend than winning this award for sure.

"To be able to be recognised as the best defensive player in the year is definitely something that I strive to be.

"I'm not huge on individual goals, but it's tough for me not to want that when I saw my brother at the height of his career win the award three times and I always just thought to myself, why can't I do that?

"I'm just so motivated. I'm very honoured to receive this award when there's so many successful and great players in the National Football League."