After a stellar season, Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa was voted by the Pro Football Writers of America as the Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Bosa led all rookies with 10.5 sacks in only 12 games. In addition, he finished the 2016 season with 48 total tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 15 QB hits, two passes defensed and one forced fumble. He put his name on the map on October 9 against the Oakland Raiders where he became the fifth rookie in league history to notch two sacks in his NFL debut.
He earned NFL Rookie Defensive Player of the Month honors during October and December, becoming the first Charger to earn the PFWA honor since Shawne Merriman in 2005. Along with the accolade, Bosa is the first Chargers rookie since Merriman to have 10 or more sacks in a season.
The honors didn't stop at Bosa for the Chargers. Tight end Hunter Henry and Linebacker Jatavis Brown were also voted to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.
2016 PFWA ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: RB Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys
2016 PFWA OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: RB Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys
2016 PFWA DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: DE Joey Bosa, San Diego Chargers
2016 PFWA ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Offense
QB – Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
RB – Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys; Jordan Howard, Chicago Bears
WR – Sterling Shepard, New York Giants; Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints
TE – Hunter Henry, San Diego Chargers
C – Cody Whitehair, Chicago Bears
G – Joe Thuney, New England Patriots; Laremy Tunsil, Miami Dolphins
T – Jack Conklin, Tennessee Titans; Taylor Decker, Detroit Lions
Defense
DL – Joey Bosa, San Diego Chargers; DeForest Buckner, San Francisco 49ers; Chris Jones, Kansas City Chiefs; Yannick Ngakoue, Jacksonville Jaguars
LB – Jatavis Brown, San Diego Chargers; Leonard Floyd, Chicago Bears; Deion Jones, Atlanta Falcons
CB – Vernon Hargreaves III, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Jalen Ramsey, Jacksonville Jaguars
S – Karl Joseph, Oakland Raiders; Keanu Neal, Atlanta Falcons
Special Teams
PK – Wil Lutz, New Orleans Saints
P – Riley Dixon, Denver Broncos
KR – Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs
PR – Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs
ST – Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs
Take a look through photos from Joey Bosa's impressive rookie career with the Chargers, as he was named PFWA's Defensive Rookie of the Year.