NFL

Urlacher named top defensive player

By wire services
Published January 7, 2006

CHICAGO - Brian Urlacher was a frustrated man a year ago. He was injured and called overrated as the Bears struggled through their third straight losing season.

Now?

The Bears are in the playoffs for the first time in four years. And Urlacher, the latest leader of the Monsters of the Midway, won the Defensive Player of the Year award Friday.

The middle linebacker and the public face of a ferocious defense that allowed the fewest points in the league this season, Urlacher adds the honor to his 2000 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

"It's definitely exciting," Urlacher said. "It's a big honor. When you look at the great defensive players in this league, there's a bunch of them out there."

But his eyes are on a bigger prize.

"This is my sixth year," Urlacher said. "I really hope I have a long way to go and a lot of stuff to prove in this league. I want a ring. All this stuff is great and good, whoop de do. But I want that Super Bowl ring."

Urlacher's 34 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL gave him a runaway victory. Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney was second with four votes. No Bucs received votes.

"This whole season was a blessing," said Urlacher, who was limited to nine games by leg injuries last season. "To go through what I went through last year, it was just so frustrating. I had been healthy my whole career."

Besides injuries, there was criticism. Eight scouts and two TV analysts - all unnamed - ranked him the most overrated player in a Sporting News article.

"The people who know me - my teammates, the organization - know what type of player I am and that's really all that matters," Urlacher said.

BENGALS: Quarterback Carson Palmer, making his first appearance in a playoff game, is ready to start defining his career. "All you hear is Tom Brady is 9-0 as a postseason quarterback, and you hear about (Dan) Marino and that Peyton (Manning) hasn't gotten to the big one. That's part of your legacy," Palmer said. "When people talk about quarterbacks of the past, they talk about what happened in the playoffs. Did they get to the Super Bowl? Did they win the Super Bowl? My legacy starts this weekend."

SEAHAWKS: A day after being named the league's MVP, running back Shaun Alexander easily beat out Colts quarterback Peyton Manning for the Offensive Player of the Year award. He is the first Seahawks player to win each award.

[Last modified January 7, 2006, 01:22:58]