It won’t be a three-peat for Aaron Donald. The Rams defensive tackle was seeking to become the first player in NFL history to win three straight Defensive Player of the Year awards, but he was beat out by Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore.
Donald still put together a tremendous 2019 season, leading the NFL with 20 tackles for loss and toping all defensive tackles with 12.5 sacks. Granted, they weren’t the astronomical numbers he put up in 2018, but Donald was still among the best defenders in the NFL.
It’s just that Gilmore had a slightly better season. He finished the year with a league-high six interceptions and 20 passes defensed, returning two interceptions for touchdowns. He recovered two fumbles and almost always shadowed the opponent’s No. 1 receiver.
Voter fatigue likely played a role in Donald not winning the award, too. It’s hard to vote for the same player to win something three years in a row, especially with a player like Donald who’s been at the top of his position since entering the NFL.
Donald was still named a first-team All-Pro this season for the fifth time, and also made his sixth Pro Bowl. He’ll have plenty of seasons in the future where he’s once again in contention for Defensive Player of the Year, but 2019 was not to be.
