Jared Verse strolled the red carpet at NFL Honors on Thursday night in a sharp bronze-colored suit, and the Rams edge rusher did so with the same confidence he displayed on and off the field in his first season.
A few hours later, Verse was announced as the NFL defensive rookie of the year, the first Rams player to win the award since Aaron Donald in 2014.
Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen was the most valuable player.
A nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the NFL completed ballots before the playoffs began. Times reporters do not vote for awards.
Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley was the offensive player of the year, Denver cornerback Patrick Surtain II the defensive player of the year. Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels was the offensive rookie of the year and Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow the comeback player of the year. Minnesota’s Kevin O’Connell was coach of the year.
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive lineman Arik Armstead was voted the Walter Payton Man of the Year, awarded to an NFL player for his excellence on and off the field.
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Verse said during training camp that he not only wanted to be one of the best players in the league, but also one of the best ever.
“I think it’s a small step towards it,” he said after receiving the award, adding, “That’s the main thing — you can’t get satisfied. It’s just a small step to a big goal.”
Verse, the only Rams player to be voted to the Pro Bowl, outdistanced teammate Braden Fiske, Philadelphia Eagles defensive backs Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean and Miami Dolphins linebacker Chop Robinson for the award.
Verse exceeded expectations after the Rams selected him with the No. 19 pick in the draft.
The 6-foot-4, 260-pound Verse began his college career at Albany before transferring to Florida State, where he teamed with Fiske to give the Seminoles a strong pass rush.
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The brash and loquacious Verse made an immediate impact on Rams teammates and coaches during off-season workouts and continued to excel during training camp practices with the Chargers and Dallas Cowboys.
He got his first sack in the opener against the Detroit Lions before struggling in a Week 2 rout by the Arizona Cardinals.
But Verse steadily improved. Though he finished with only 4½ sacks, he was regarded as one of the most disruptive pass rushers in the NFL. And he was not afraid to let opponents — and opposing team’s fans — know it.
A few days after he returned a fumble 57 yards for a touchdown in an NFC wild-card victory over the Minnesota Vikings, Verse riled the Philadelphia Eagles faithful by saying he hated Eagles fans and found them annoying.
Verse embraced the role of villain at Lincoln Financial Field. He had two sacks during the Rams’ defeat and won the respect of many fans with his play.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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