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Cushing named Defensive Rookie of the Year


ChosenOne
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NEW YORK -- From the first practice in training camp until the last game, Brian Cushing was a tackling machine for the Houston Texans.

 

That's exactly what the team sought when it chose the linebacker from USC 15th overall in the draft last April. What the Texans also got is The Associated Press 2009 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

 

Cushing was a runaway winner in balloting by a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the league. Cushing received 39 votes Tuesday, easily beating Buffalo safety Jairus Byrd, who had six, and became the second Texans linebacker in four seasons to win the award. DeMeco Ryans took it in 2006.

 

"I'm just a much smarter football player," Cushing said. "I'm much more advanced than I was this time last year and it was just a good way to start out a career. I'm happy about how everything turned out this year. Of course the playoffs would have been nice, but now we know what we have to do for next season."

 

This season, Cushing had 133 tackles, 86 of them primary, according to the Texans, who went 9-7, their first winning record. Cushing's best game might have been his nine solo tackles, one sack and an interception in a victory over Miami on Dec. 27.

 

ESPN.com

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