We’ve already handed out the Alan Page Award for the 2009 season. Next up, we’ll give the prize given to the top linebacker — the Derrick Thomas Award.
The finalists are Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware, Broncos linebacker Elvis Dumervil, Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis, and Redskins linebacker London Fletcher.
Make your case in the comments. In the interim, I’ll confer with the PFT writing team. We’ll unveil the winner at some point on Saturday.
49ers Linebacker Patrick Willis gets my vote…
49ers Linebacker Patrick Willis gets my vote…
Steelers fans are obsessed with Ray Lewis, Florio just proved it! Really though, give it to Willis.
Ware
Can’t NBC afford voting software?
Or do our votes matter?
Just go ahead and give it to London Fletcher. You know you’re going to anyway.
I am a Ravens fan and I would normally say Ray Lewis but Patrick Lewis is just ahead of him. This man is a beast. But if he is no where close in the votes I go for Ray Lewis haha. Btw who won the Alan Page award I can’t find it anywhere
Demarcus Ware gets my vote…
DeMarcus Ware. Leader of the Cowboys defense, played with bone spurs in his foot and came back in 6 days after a serious neck injury to lead his team over the Super Bowl Champion Saints.
Ware did more for his team than any other selectee.
london fletcher is amazing, he has some amazing string of downs played over the past few years. he is a workhorse and doesnt run his mouth
Dumervil had 17 sacks in 8 games.. for real, look it up. He had 8 games where he didn’t register a sack. I think you have to blame coaching when your main playmaker in the front 7 goes 8 games and doesn’t register a sack. With better coaching he could’ve had 20 plus
Fletcher. Classy, durable, a leader and a consistent performer.
London Fletcher has my vote. Please do not disgrace the memory and legacy of Derrick Thomas by giving this award to Ray Lewis. It’s bad enough that you used his name in the same story as Derrick Thomas.
It’s Ray.
im gonna say Dumervil. it was a great year for him and he deserves it.
i forgot to mention that this is also Dumervils first year ever playing linebacker, he had never done it before in his life. hes always been a DE. so its even more impressive that he made the transition so easily and in such a short time.
just something to think about.
Patrick. Willis.
Dude is going to be to the 2010′s what his coach Mike Singletary was to the 1980′s.
Willis or Ware. Class acts who lead by example.
Is there really a better linebacker than PWill?
lots of good choices, but London Fletcher. Just because he works hard and never tries for the limelight.
I think Fletcher deserves it. Not because he is a Redskin, but because he has gotten so few accolades throughout his time in the NFL. If you put his and Ray ray the knife stabber guy side by side and their stats are almost identical. Both have one super bowl ring, and Fletch is typically at the top of the tackles list EVERY single year. I know I will get people to argue, but he gets my vote just based on the fact that he came from nowhere, he has dominated the position for 12 years. Where ray ray is over rated London gets overlooked. Because he doesn’t have some dumb ass dance he doesn’t garner the accolades. If not London, Willis, just please don’t give it to a damn overrated raven or a cowgurl.
Ray Lewis should not even have been nominated. Brian Cushing should have been in over him.
Of that list, Patrick Willis without a doubt. Best MLB in the NFL.
Many people say Patrick Willis is the second coming of Ray Lewis. I say bullsh@t. Patrick Willis is the first coming of Patrick Willis.
I don’t need to make a case for Willis receiving this award, his play speaks far louder than anything anyone can say on here.
WILLIS
Willis is very good, but you have to give it to Elvis. He led the league in sacks, was a top tackler, did OK in coverage, and did so with a dismal front line (McBean, Peterson, and Fields… really?). He also had a ton of turnovers on sacks. And all in his first year at the position… there just wasn’t a better playmaker on the year.
Ray Lewis.
I think DROY Brian Cushing should be in the mix. The kid was a beast!
Since this should one day be named the Ray Lewis Award…since he’s, you know, the greatest LB to ever play the game…he ought to win!
Simple….
Put in the tape of how Demarcus Ware SINGLEHANDEDLY beat the Saints when they were undefeated and he was only 70%.
NUFF SAID!
Bottom line RAY LEWIS IS FOOTBALL.
Ray Lewis? Are you serious? Wasn’t he involved in a murder trial?
Come on Florio. What’s next – is Mike Vick going to be nominated for a PFT Humanitarian award?
Members of the All Turd Team should be banned from receiving awards. I think Jared Allen was borderline given his history.
Figure out who has 7 kids by 5 different women, none of whom he’s married to. That guy gets the Derrick Thomas Award.
London Fletcher….sure the Redskins suck balls, but he didn’t quit, seemed to be the only one on the team that cared that they sucked, and showed up every week killing it. Also, he’s like 40 years old. Unbelievable that he kept it going all season on that crappy ass team.
Toss up between Ware and Willis.
Demarcus Ware has my vote. He is a game changer. I have to agree, the game against the Saints he was a beast.
going off the name of the award…Dumervil or Ware
OLB is so different in the 3-4 than in the 4-3. Apples and oranges. The fact that Jon Beason is not on here in front of London Fletcher already tells me that this thing is subjective from the get go.
Not even a mention for LaMarr Woodley? 11.5 sacks in the team’s final nine games? Most outstanding defensive player on one of the league’s best defenses?
Eh, I can see it either way. As it is, I’d go with Willis. Difficult position to gauge against contemporaries, though. They play on different defenses, but Willis was the most dynamic of an outstanding group.
Patrick Willis
Patrick Willis and London Fletcher tie.
Willis is the better player but Fletcher has always been a workhorse.
For those of you who picked D.WARE,can u please give a better reason to win the award.The season is 16 games not one.thank you.
As much as the homer in me wants to say Elvis Dumervil should get it, I think Willis deserves it more. He’s a complete football player.
Patrick Willis. As a player and a person. Though it has nothing to do with winning this award this year . . . Take a couple minutes to check out his story growing up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uN22zvvxAJ0&feature=related
PISS ON Ware and Dumervil. They’re defensive ends( who specialize in only pass rush, suck at run blocking) masquerading as linebackers. If left to play linebacker in a traditional role, they would suck ass and get cut from the team.
And earlier post said that Ray Lewis IS football. Well, if this IS 2001, I’d agree. But it’s 2010. You’re a fool.
This leaves Willis, argueably the best LB in the game, obvious choice, there shouldn’t have even been any discussion on this.
Willis, I’m a ravens fan but Ray Ray wasn’t the best candidate this year. In fact I’d say Jarret Johnson might even deserve it more, but he’s not an option
If this were a career achievement, I go for Fletcher or Lewis, but this year’s winner should be Patrick Willis. He is Ray Lewis from 10 years ago, the LB everyone watches and offenses account for. He was everywhere and made their defense seem better than it is. Their DBs and line need work and he was able to cover some of their mistakes.
Willis. Fletcher and Lewis for lifetime achievement.
Dumervil. it was his year.
“PISS ON Ware and Dumervil. They’re defensive ends( who specialize in only pass rush, suck at run blocking)”
I know that when *I’M* looking at linebackers, the first thing I look at is how well they run block.
Sheesh.
“If left to play linebacker in a traditional role, they would suck ass and get cut from the team.”
Um they DO play traditional linebacker roles, slappy. You don’t watch much football, do you? I can’t talk about Dumervil but you’re the first person I’ve ever seen talk about Demarcus Ware as a liability against the run. For pete’s sake, the guy averages 7 run stuffs, 70 tackles, 13 sacks, 4 passes defensed and 5 forced fumbles per season while playing outside and usually drawing a double team. First and only professional player to receive the esteemed Butkus Award. He was selected to the All-Decade team even though he’s only been around for five seasons for very good reasons. He’s one of the best all-around linebackers in the NFL, if not the best.
“PISS ON Ware and Dumervil. They’re defensive ends( who specialize in only pass rush, suck at run blocking)”
I know that when *I’M* looking at linebackers, the first thing I look at is how well they run block.
Sheesh.
“If left to play linebacker in a traditional role, they would suck ass and get cut from the team.”
Um they DO play traditional linebacker roles, slappy. You don’t watch much football, do you? I can’t talk about Dumervil but you’re the first person I’ve ever seen talk about Demarcus Ware as a liability against the run. For pete’s sake, the guy averages 7 run stuffs, 70 tackles, 13 sacks, 4 passes defensed and 5 forced fumbles per season while playing outside and usually drawing a double team. First and only professional player to receive the esteemed Butkus Award. He was selected to the All-Decade team even though he’s only been around for five seasons for very good reasons. He’s one of the best all-around linebackers in the NFL, if not the best.
D.Thomas didnt play the run whatsoever. D. Ware is a Thomas clone but BETTER. Ware actually DOES play the run and Thomas never had 20 sacks in a season….
D. Ware with 1 foot and a damaged spine still got 14 sacks.
Willis all the way. The other guys had great years but Willis is a super stud
OK here you go Florio with my defensive point system of 10pts per sack, 5pts per Int/FF and 1pt per tackle here is how it should go
Patrick Willis 222pts
Elvis Dumerville 239pts
Demarcus Ware 187pts
London Fletcher 172pts
Ray Lewis 174pts
Elvis wins it in true Derrick Thomas fashion
Patrick Willis has become a force in the league and is well on his way to becoming the best linebacker in football
Ray Lewis.
He wins it in my book, Am I the only one who remembers him blowing up Sproles in San Diego to win the game?