Mack wins Defensive Player of the Year
Not held back by being on a team that ranked 26th in defense, the Raiders’ Khalil Mack won the 2016 Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year award Saturday night.
The defensive end beat out Broncos linebacker Von Miller, last year’s Super Bowl MVP, by one vote.
Mack did not attend the NFL Honors ceremony in Houston, but Oakland general manager Reggie McKenzie accepted the award for him.
The Raiders’ first-round pick in 2014 (No. 5 overall) also had 77 tackles, four passes defensed, five forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and an interception return for a touchdown.
The pick-six came in Week 12 against the Panthers’ Cam Newton, and Mack became the first NFL player since 2009 to have an interception, sack, forced fumble, fumble recovery and a touchdown in the same game.