Joey Bosa First Player Since Dwight Freeney in 2002 to Earn Multiple Defensive Rookie of the Month Awards

By D.J. Byrnes on January 5, 2017 at 11:17 am
Former Ohio State great and current San Diego Charger Joey Bosa joins Dwight Freeney.
Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
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Remember when the San Diego Chargers squabbled over contractual pennies with the No. 3 overall pick of the draft, and thus scuttled a large swath of Joey Bosa's training camp and 25% of his regular season? Fun times in pettiness.

Bosa went on to show the Chargers he was worth every penny. Though the Chargers finished 5-11 and last in the AFC, Bosa was a whirling dervish in December.

He finished with five sacks that month, and added another against Kansas City last Sunday. 

He finished the season with most sacks among NFL rookies (10.5) and more QB pressures (60) of any player through his first 12 games in 11 years.

Thursday, he became the first rookie since Dwight Freeney in 2002 to earn multiple AF Defensive Rookie of the Month awards.

Bosa last earned such an honor in October, when he and Ezekiel Elliott became first former college teammates to split offensive and defensive honors since Florida State's Warrick Dunn and Peter Boulware in September 1997.

Bosa hasn't locked down a Hall of Fame nomination like Dwight Freeney, but it's clear already he's well on his way. 

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