When it comes to awards in the NFL there is some narrative involved. This has to be understood.
People have noted this in the past with figures like Bill Belichick or LeBron James. You can argue that Belichick was “Coach of the Year” on many more occasions than he actually won it and the same with LeBron and MVP in the NBA. The narrative requires that it sometimes moves around, though.
This is an important distinction at the moment for the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year Award. Entering the 2025 season there are several active players who have won it in Myles Garrett, Nick Bosa, T.