Cowboys' Trevon Diggs Shares NFL Award with Falcons Star

Two worthy standouts will share the 2021 Most Improved Players of the Year award.

FRISCO - The NFL’s interception leader, cornerback Trevon Diggs of the Dallas Cowboys, just capped off a fine regular season with a nice postseason nod. The second-year standout has gained the attention of the Pro Football Writers of America, as the PFWA announced that he will share with the Atlanta Falcons' Cordarrelle Patterson the "Most Improved Player of the Year'' 2021 award.

Patterson and Diggs (who led the NFL in interceptions with 11) share the award in a way that recognizes excellence across the board. The Alabama product Diggs can argue that he is "breaking the tie'' because Diggs is going to the Pro Bowl while Patterson lingers as a prominent snub.

No arguments here with the picks.

Patterson isn't exactly a "breakout star''; he's now in his 30's and had already established himself, to some degree, over the course of his NFL career.

Of course, in 2021, he re-established himself on a different level after signing his one-year contract in Atlanta.

Falcons head coach Arthur Smith smartly used Patterson as his lead back when Mike Davis wasn't quite good enough, and as a lead receiver when Calvin Ridley took his leave. Patterson's response?

He ended up leading the Falcons in rushing yards (618) and touchdowns (six), while also working as a receiver, leading the team there with five touchdowns.

In a year when the versatility of San Francisco's Deebo Samuel was all the NFL rage, Patterson - now a free agent who has talked of "loving'' the idea of re-signing with Atlanta - was right there with him.

Patterson is the first Falcons player to win this award since edge-rusher Vic Beasley did so in 2016, when he had 15.5 sacks and the Falcons reached the Super Bowl LI. Diggs becomes the third Cowboys player to win this award, joining Miles Austin (2009) and Dez Bryant (2012).

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