Though no Pittsburgh Steeler left NFL Honors Thursday night with any hardware, several received votes for the league’s 2024 awards. DL Cam Heyward and QB Russell Wilson received votes for AP Comeback Player of the Year. Both received one second-place vote while Heyward received several fourth and fifth-place selections, giving him 24 total points and a ninth place finish.
Heyward also finished 13th for Defensive Player of the Year behind teammate T.J. Watt and winner CB Patrick Surtain, who ran away with the award.
Per the Associated Press, ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky was responsible for Heyward’s second-place vote. Heyward had a historic season coming off a 2023 groin injury that kept him out for half the season and hampered him after his return. He finished the year with 71 tackles, eight sacks, and 11 pass deflections.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini gave her second-place vote to QB Russell Wilson. A curious decision not just for Wilson and the Steelers’ struggles to end the season but also because the award is supposed to honor players returning from injury, not performance. Of course, that didn’t stop Minnesota Vikings QB Sam Darnold from receiving plenty of votes and finish and a third place finish.
Mike Tomlin received votes for Head Coach of the Year, picking up third, fourth, and fifth-place selections. His 16 total points saw him finished eighth overall but well behind winner Kevin O’Connell of the Minnesota Vikings.
Tomlin’s mentor Tony Dungy along with Diante Lee and Mike Silver cast the third-place votes.
Two Steelers’ coaches received awards for Assistant Coach of the Year. Special Teams Coordinator Danny Smith and Offensive Coordinator Arthur Smith received votes for the award won by Detroit Lions’ OC and now Chicago Bears’ HC Ben Johnson. Danny Smith’s received two fifth-place votes via Diante Lee and Tony Dungy. Patriots’ beat writer Ben Volin gave Arthur Smith his fifth-place ballot choice.
A tweet from the AP’s Rob Maaddi initially showed Steelers’ center Zach Frazier receiving a vote for Defensive Rookie of the Year. But that tweet was inaccurate per the AP’s official ballot, not showing Frazier anywhere on the list.
The last Steeler to win Offensive Rookie of the Year was QB Ben Roethlisberger in 2004 while the last Defensive ROY was LB Kendrell Bell in 2001. No Steeler has won Offensive Player of the Year while EDGE T.J. Watt last won Defensive Player of the Year in 2021. Only one Steeler has ever won MVP, QB Terry Bradshaw in 1978. Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen was named MVP in an extremely tight race with Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson, 21 points separating the two.
Finally, LB Andy Russell and WR/returner Jacoby Jones were included during the league’s “In Memoriam” segment recognizing those NFL players, coaches, and contributors who passed away during 2024.
