The Associated Press announced Saturday evening that Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is the 2011 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Newton won in a landslide, receiving 47 of the AP’s 50 votes. Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton got the other three.
Newton was an easy pick after setting an NFL record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in 2011. He scored 14 times on the ground, and also became the first player in league history to both pass for 4,000 yards and rush for 500.
As for Dalton, a solid case could have been made that teammate A.J. Green was more deserving of Rookie of the Year votes.