It was a rough season for the Kansas City Chiefs. They finished last in the AFC West Division with a 7-9 record and blew a couple of close games that could have moved them closer to, if not into the postseason.
The Chiefs at least managed to end the season on a winning note, by defeating division rivals the Denver Broncos 7-3 in Week 17. Now they can put the 2011 season behind them and look forward to 2012.
On Monday, Kansas City focused on the things that went right in 2011, according to Josh Looney from the official Chiefs website. The team announced its selections for team MVP and team rookie of the year, as voted by the Chiefs players.
Linebacker Derrick Johnson was voted the winner of the 2011 Derrick Thomas MVP Award. The seven-year veteran earned the award just a week after being named to his first-ever Pro Bowl for his play in the 2011 season. Johnson led the team with 179 tackles, including two sacks and 11 tackles resulting in loss of yardage. He also managed two interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
The Chiefs also named linebacker Justin Houston the winner of the Mack Lee Hill Rookie of the Year Award. Houston also had a very strong year on defense, with 70 tackles including 12 for loss, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and 12 QB pressures. Most notably, his 5.5 sacks were the fifth-highest ever by a Chiefs rookie.
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