With the 2021 regular season officially over, and the 49ers ending at 10-7, while punching their ticket to the playoffs, with a matchup in Dallas this Sunday, it’s time to take a look at my team awards for the 2021 season.
I’ve decided to limit 1 award per player.
Team MVP: WR Deebo Samuel
- This is obvious, Samuel is the reason the 49ers were so dominant on offense, finishing with 1405 receiving yards, 6 receiving touchdowns, along with 365 rushing yards, and 8 rushing touchdowns, proving to be, in my opinion, the most dynamic offensive player in all of the NFL.
Offensive Player of the Year: LT Trent Williams
- Trent Williams was the team’s best offensive player, as he was just a beast at left tackle, he was dominant, and clearly had the best year of his career, while proving he’s the best tackle in the NFL, and worthy of that $23.03 million a year deal the 49ers gave him back in March.
Defensive Player of the Year: DE Nick Bosa
- Bosa had a great comeback year, worthy of both the NFL’s Comeback player of the year, & Defensive Player of the Year award’s, Bosa was just dominant, ending the season with 15.5 sacks, 21 tackles for loss, and 4 forced fumbles, proving, to me, that Bosa is the top EDGE rusher in the NFL.
Rookie of the Year: RB Elijah Mitchell
- Mitchell was maybe the most surprising rookie this season, while he played in 11 games, missing 6, he ended with 963 rushing yards, an average of 4.7 yards a carry, and 5 rushing touchdowns, while also having 137 receiving yards, and 1 receiving touchdown, but Mitchell really is the team’s best pure runner, so having him back healthy, it’s a huge plus for the 49ers heading into the playoffs..
Unsung Player of the Year: FB Kyle Juszczyk
- Juice is clearly the team’s unsung player of the year, as he did everything for the team, he had a rushing touchdown, and a receiving touchdown, he lines up all over the field, whether at fullback, in the slot, at tight end, no matter where he’s lined up, you have to be worried as a defensive coordinator, and well, the fact that he came in yesterday, as the backup holder, proves he can do just about everything, & anything, plus he’s the reason why the running game is so damn successful, along with Trent Williams, & George Kittle.
Most Improved Player of the Year: WR Jauan Jennings
- If you don’t think Jennings is the team’s most improved player after yesterday’s game, where he put up over 90 receiving yards, plus 2 receiving touchdowns, then I don’t know what will convince you, along with the fact that after the injury to Mohamed Sanu Sr., Jennings became the team’s reliable 3rd wide receiver, ending with 282 receiving yards, and 5 receiving touchdowns.
Ironman of the Year: LG Laken Tomlinson
- Tomlinson proved this season that he’s the team’s ironman, as he didn’t miss many, if any snaps, and just was dominant, worthy of being a pro bowler, now hopefully the 49ers can retain him this offseason, hopefully before his contract voids in February.
Most Underrated Player of the Year: DE/DT Arik Armstead
- Armstead is a guy that way too many fans hate on, while no, he’s not worth $17 million a year, he did have a great year, with 6 sacks, 7 tackles for loss, and just proved to be a dominant force, as he was constantly in the backfield, getting pressure on the QB & running backs.
Most Surprising Player of the Year: WR Brandon Aiyuk
- After getting off to a slow start, where he didn’t begin the season as the team’s starter opposite Deebo Samuel, Aiyuk proved that, as I said, he wasn’t a bust, he wasn’t a bad pick, he just needed motivation, & time, as he finished the season with 826 receiving yards, and 6 receiving touchdowns, proving that the 49ers hit with Aiyuk in 2020, as they did with Deebo a year earlier.
Best Free Agent Signing of the Year: DE Arden Key
- Key was my best free agent signing, as he was waived by the Raiders, then signed by the 49ers to a 1-year, $1.045 million deal, a very low risk, high reward signing, similar to Maurice Hurst Jr., who signed the same deal, after also being waived by the Raiders, but Key actually showed up, played all 17 games, had 6.5 sacks, and 5 tackles for loss, proving to be a great signing by the 49ers, now, as with Tomlinson, hopefully the 49ers can retain him.
Most Improved In-Season Player: CB Ambry Thomas
- While this could be also described as the most surprising player of the year, I went with Thomas, as after initially not being active, the team’s 3rd-round pick, really came on, he had a rough outing in his first career start in Cincinnati, but after that, he got better, & better every week, and it showed yesterday, as he picked off Matthew Stafford to seal the 49ers victory, and clinch their ticket to the playoffs.
Breakout Player of the Year: SLB Azeez Al-Shaair
- Al-Shaair really improved this season, while he missed 4 games, he ended the season with 102 tackles, 2nd to Fred Warner’s 137, 2 sacks, 9 tackles for loss, 5 passes defended, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, & 2 fumbles recovered, proving to be the team’s breakout player of the year in my opinion.
Honorable Mentions:
QB Jimmy Garoppolo – No matter what people want to say, Jimmy is a winner, & a starter in this league, ending the season with 3810 passing yards, 20 passing touchdowns, & 3 rushing touchdowns, he did throw 12 interceptions, but he proved that he can win, & he will be a starter in 2022, even if it’s not with the 49ers.
TE George Kittle – Kittle missed 3 games, but ended the season with 910 receiving yards, & 6 receiving touchdowns, earning another pro bowl honor.
NT D.J. Jones – Jones had such a dominant year, he ended with 56 tackles, 2 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, 1 pass defended, and 2 forced fumbles, he really was a dominant run stuffer, proving he can stay healthy, as he played all 17 games, and is a guy the 49ers need to retain in the offseason.
MLB Fred Warner – While Warner didn’t have a great start to the season, he ended the season with 137 tackles, 0.5 sack, 7 tackles for loss, 4 passes defended, 1 forced fumble, and 3 fumbles recovered, proving that he is one of the best pure linebackers in the NFL, deserving of that $19 million a year deal that the 49ers gave him this past offseason.
FS Jimmie Ward – Ward finished the season with 77 tackles, 6 passes defended, and 2 interceptions, both coming in the team’s week 10 win over the Rams, which really helped turn the team’s season around, and he was, in my opinion, along with Laken Tomlinson, a pro bowl snub.
And, with all of this said, I thank everyone for reading article, as always you can follow me on Twitter @49erscap, or leave a comment below, and I’ll get back to you.
About Author
