The National Football League used Saturday to announce its top players and coaches from the 2019 season, and the Professional Football Hall of Fame used the day to announce the five players from the modern era who will be inducted this summer.
The Hall of Fame had already named 15 greats who will be inducted, and Sunday's crew will be the headliners when they take the stage in Canton, Ohio, to receive their gold jackets and forever be enshrined in the Hall.
Here are the five modern-era players—two of them safeties—named Saturday.
Steve Atwater
Atwater was a safety known for big hits on offensive players who either had the ball or got in his way. He was picked by the Denver Broncos in 1989, and made the NFL's all-rookie team that fall. He had more than 1,000 tackles in 11 seasons, and he was named to the Pro Bowl eight times.
He appeared in three Super Bowls, was a two-time all-pro and a member of the 90s all-decade team. He also had 24 career interceptions.
Isaac Bruce
Bruce played wide receiver with the Rams in Los Angeles and made the move with the team to St. Louis, where they became "The Greatest Show on Turf." He caught 13 touchdowns and a career-high 1,781 yards in 1995, which was his second year in the league. He NFL with 1,338 receiving yards the following season. He was part of the Rams' 1999 team that marched to the Super Bowl with a high-flying offense, and he caught a pass and sprinted 73 yards for the game-winning score—the only Super Bowl win in Rams franchise history.
Bruce retired in 2010 as the team's all-time leader in receptions and with 15,209 receiving yards, which was second-most in NFL history.
Steve Hutchinson
Hutchinson was an offensive lineman drafted in 2001, and he made the all-rookie team that fall with the Seattle Seahawks. He played for the Seahawks, Vikings and Titans, played in Super Bowl 50 and paved the way for star running backs Shaun Alexander (Seahawks) and Adrian Peterson (Vikings).
Hutchinson was a member of the all-decade team in the 2000s, and he was a five-time all-pro and seven time Pro Bowl selection before he retired after the 2012 season.
Edgerrin James
James had the luxury of playing in Peyton Manning's early offense, and it was the running back's legs that did as much damage as Manning's arm. James led the NFL in rushing in both 1999 and 2000, winning Rookie of the Year and all-pro in 1999. James was part of a high-octane offense that won four-consecutive division titles and reached an AFC title game.
James never made the Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts, but he made it with the Arizona Cardinals in 2008. He was named to four Pro Bowls and rushed for 1,000 yards or more in seven seasons—more than 1,500 yards four times—in his 11-year career.
Troy Polamalu
Polamalu was a longtime safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers known for his long-flowing hair and vicious hits on receivers. NFL.com called him "the preeminent safety of his generation." His Steelers won the AFC North five times, made the playoffs seven times and reached the Super Bowl three different times in his 12 seasons.
He was a member of the 2000s all-decade team, and he was named 2010 Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press. He was named to the Pro Bowl eight times, and he was a four-time all-ro.
NFL's 2019 Individual Awards
The NFL named its superlative players and coaches for the 2019 season. Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was the unanimous league MVP—only the second player to win the award unanimously (Tom Brady, 2010).
Here are the NFL award winners announced Saturday night:
NFL MVP
Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
Offensive Player of the Year
Michael Thomas, WR, New Orleans Saints
Defensive Player of the Year
Stephon Gilmore, CB, New England Patriots
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Nick Bosa, DE, San Francisco 49ers
Comeback Player of the Year
Ryan Tannehill, QB, Tennessee Titans
Coach of the Year
John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
Assistant Coach of the Year
Greg Roman, Baltimore Ravens
Walter Payton Man of the Year
Calais Campbell, Carolina Panthers
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Scott McDonald is a Newsweek deputy night editor based in Cape Coral, Florida. His focus is assigning and writing stories ... Read more
