TSN's 1997 NFL awards

Sporting News, The, Jan 26, 1998

Player of the Year Barry Sanders

We finally have an answer to the lingering Barry-vs.-Emmitt debate. While Dallas' Emmitt Smith is starting to show signs of wear and tear, the Lions' Barry Sanders had the best season of his career.

In 1997, Sanders, 29, became the third Player in NFL history to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a season as he gained 2,053 and blew away his previous best of 1,883 in 1994.

Sanders had to share the NFL's MVP Award with Packers quarterback Brett Favre, but a TSN survey of NFL personnel directors wasn't nearly as close. Sanders received 19 of 24 votes (Favre got the other five) to become THE SPORTING NEWS' 1997 Player of the Year.

Under new coach Bobby Ross, sanders worked with a pure-blocking fullback for the first in his career. After he gained 53 yards on 26 carries in the first two games this season that didn't look like such a good idea. But Sanders rolled up exactly 2,000 yards in the last 14 games.

Along the way, Sanders passed Marcus Allen, Franco Harris, Jim Brown, Tony Dorsett and Eric Dickerson to move into second place on the NFL's all-time rushing list.

Going into the regular-season finale, Sanders needed 131 yards to reach 2,000. He did it with a 2-yard run late in the fourth quarter, and Ross tried to pull him out of the game to make sure he didn't get tackled for a loss and fall below 2,000. But Sanders refused and broke a 53-yard run on the next play.

All three vignettes written by associate editor/online Chris Jenkins.

TSN's Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and All-Pro teams were determined in balloting by 24 NFL pro personnel directors. The Coach of the Year was determined in voting by NFL coaches.

Rookie of the year Warrick Dunn

"I don't want to think small," Warrick Dunn says. "I think big. I expect the best from myself and my teammates."

Though many NFL scouts thought the 5-8 Dunn was too small, or not durable enough, to be an NFL feature back, the Buccaneers took him with the 12th pick in the draft. Dunn paid them back almost immediately, beating out Errict Rhett to become the starting tailback early in the season. He went on to rush for 978 yards and four touchdowns as the Buccaneers made the playoffs for the first time since 1982.

Dun received 14 1/2 of 23 votes to become THE SPORTING NEWS' 1997 Rookie of the Year. Ravens line-backer Peter Boulware was next, with 5 1/2 votes, Bengals running back Corey Dillon got three votes.

Dillon had more impressive statistics, but Dunn became the offensive focus for a playoff team. Whether he was running or catching passes (Dunn had 39 receptions for an average of 11.8 yards and three touchdowns), opposing teams knew they had to contain Dunn to stop the Bucs.

Because of Dunn's similar size and elusiveness, comparisons to Lions running back Barry Sanders are natural. Although it's not fair to saddle any player with those kind of expectations, Sanders has taken notice.

Dunn showed up Sanders in Week 2, rushing for 130 yards in a Buccaneers win, but Sanders took center stage in the rematch. After that game, Sanders said: "I do a pretty good Warrick Dunn impression, don't I?"

Coach of the year Jim Fassel

After their 1-3 start, it was easy to forget about the Giants and Jim Fassel, their first-year head coach, especially when Bill Parcells had the hapless Jets playing like contenders. But by the end of the season, it was Fassel's Giants who had everyone talking. Picked by many to finish last in their division, the Giants used a dominant defense and a cautious offense to become the first NFC East team to sweep its divisional games.

That got the attention of Fassel's fellow coaches, who cast 11 of 26 votes for him in balloting for THE SPORTING NEWS' Coach of the Year. Marty Schottenheimer of the Chiefs finished second with seven votes.

"I think it's as much a reflection of the organization, the team and the coaching staff in its entirety." Fassel says. "But I'm very honored, and it means a lot to me because when your peers vote you that, it's extra special."

Fassel came to the Giants with an "offensive guru" tag earned mostly for his work with quarterback John Elway as an assistant at Stanford and, later, in Denver. He also was an offensive assistant for the Giants, Broncos, Raiders and Cardinals. But by the end of the season, a good offensive coach had become a good head coach.

Fassel adapted to a team that had plenty of defensive stars but not much on offense.

"We found our way," he says, "and that was playing very aggressive defense, creating turnovers and then marrying that to win with an offense where we minimize turnovers, play smart football ... and play field position as it comes to us. That's coaching: figuring out how to give your team the best chance to win."

TSN's All-Pro Team

       OFFENSE

Pos.   Player, team
WR     Herman Moore, Lions
TE     Shannon Sharpe, Broncos
T      Tony Boselli, Jaguars
G      Larry Allen, Cowboys
C      Dermontti Dawson, Steelers
G      Randal McDaniel, Vikings
T      Jonathan Ogden, Ravens
WR     Tim Brown, Raiders
QB     Brett Favre, Packers
RB     Barry Sanders, Lions
RB     Terrell Davis, Broncos

       DEFENSE

E      Bruce Smith, Bills
T      Dana Stubblefield, 49ers
T      John Randle, Vikings
E      Michael Strahan, Giants
LB     Jessie Armstead, Giants
LB     Levon Kirkland, Steelers
LB     John Mobley, Broncos
CB     Aeneas Williams, Cardinals
CB     Deion Sanders, Cowboys
S      Carnell Lake, Steelers
S      LeRoy Butler, Packers

       SPECIALISTS

K      Richie Cunningham, Cowboys
P      Matt Turk, Redskins
KR     Michael Bates, Panthers
PR     Darrien Gordon, Broncos