Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa was named the 2016 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year on Saturday night.
After missing all of training camp with a contract holdout and the first four games of the season with a hamstring injury Bosa went gangbusters. In his first game, against the Raiders in Oakland, Bosa sacked Derek Carr twice to become the 5th rookie ever to record at least two sacks in his first NFL game.
He played 12 games, recording 10.5 sacks and 29 tackles. He had the most sacks by a rookie since Aldon Smith had 14 for the 49ers in 2011. Bosa received 37 of the 50 possible votes.
Bosa is the 3rd Charger to win the award. The others were linebacker Shawne Merriman in 2005 and defensive end Leslie O’Neal in 1986.
