The Hitmen: Watt, Crosby, and Jones Named DPOY Finalists
NEW YORK, NY — The NFL just narrowed the field to the three most terrifying defenders on the planet. T.J. Watt, Maxx Crosby, and Chris Jones are the official finalists for the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year award. While modern analytics often try to complicate defensive value, this list is a direct reflection of raw, unadulterated disruption. These are the men who wrecked game plans and decided division titles from the defensive side of the ball.
The Production: Dominance by the Numbers
The voting committee clearly favored the “game-wreckers” this season. Here is why these three are the last ones standing:
- T.J. Watt (Steelers): The stats are undeniable. Watt led the league with **19.0 sacks**, making him the first player in history to lead that category three separate times. He wasn’t just a pass rusher; he carried a Pittsburgh offense that struggled for most of the year, providing the defensive scores and forced fumbles that kept the Steelers in the AFC playoff hunt.
- Maxx Crosby (Raiders): Crosby is the league’s “Iron Man.” He played **over 95% of defensive snaps** this season, a workload that is unheard of for an edge rusher. He led the NFL with **23 tackles for loss**, proving that he is just as dangerous against the run as he is hunting the quarterback. His motor is the only reason the Raiders’ defense remained a top-10 unit despite offensive turnover.
- Chris Jones (Chiefs): The interior anchor. Jones faced a **double-team rate of 62%**, yet still managed to collapse pockets and finish with double-digit sacks. He is the reason the Chiefs were able to pivot to a “defense-first” identity this season while the offense found its rhythm.
Inside the Huddle
“You don’t just ‘block’ these guys. You hope to survive them. When T.J. or Maxx gets that look in their eyes in the fourth quarter, you know the ball has to come out in two seconds or your quarterback is going to the turf. They change the entire math of the field.” — Current NFL Offensive Line Coach
The Bottom Line & What’s Next
The winner will be crowned at the NFL Honors on February 6. While T.J. Watt has the volume stats, don’t ignore the sentiment growing for Maxx Crosby, who has been the most consistent high-volume player in the league for three years.
This award carries massive implications for the AFC landscape. Jones and Watt are currently anchors for perennial contenders, and their ability to stay healthy is the single biggest factor in their teams’ Super Bowl odds. For Crosby, a win would cement his status as a first-ballot Hall of Fame talent despite playing on a team in transition. Watch the voting tallies closely—if Watt wins by a landslide, it settles the debate over who the best pure pass rusher of this generation truly is. The “Sack King” is currently the man to beat.
