Vikings defensive end Jared Allen, who was second in the NFL this season with 14.5 sacks, finished fifth in voting for the Associated Press defensive player of the year award. The honor went to Packers cornerback Charles Woodson. Woodson received 28 votes from a nationwide panel of sportswriters and broadcasters who cover the NFL.
Woodson doubled the number of votes received by Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis. Denver linebacker Elvis Dumervil, who led the NFL with 17 sacks, and New Orleans safety Darren Shaper, who tied Woodson and two others for the league lead in interceptions with nine, got three votes apiece.
Woodson and Sharper both returned three of their picks for scores. That was quite a turnaround for Sharper, who had one interception last season with the Vikings. In fact, Sharper had nine interceptions in his last three seasons with the Vikings combined after getting nine in 2005 playing under former coach Mike Tice.
Woodson is the first Packers player to win the award since the late Reggie White won it in 1998 and only the second Packer winner in the 36-year history of the honor.
