NEW YORK — That blur speeding away from opposing defenses and running off with The Associated Press 2009 NFL offensive player of the year award is Chris Johnson.
Johnson was uncatchable in setting a league mark for yards from scrimmage (2,509) and becoming the sixth player with a 2,000-yard rushing season.
That earned the Titans’ second-year pro 38 1/2 votes Wed- nesday from a nationwide panel of 50 sportswriters and broadcasters who cover the NFL. Johnson easily beat Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who had nine votes.
“I kind of realize what I did and I feel like I had a dream season,” said Johnson, who scored 16 touchdowns (14 rushing), second to Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson, and tied the NFL mark with six consecutive games rushing for at least 125 yards.
Johnson became the first player to run for three TDs of 85 yards or longer in a season; no NFL player had even done that in a career. He will start next season with a streak of 11 100-yard rushing games; Barry Sanders holds the record with 14 in 1997.
League MVP Peyton Manning of Indianapolis drew 1 1/2 votes, and San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers earned one.
Seau retires — again
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Junior Seau, a 12-time Pro Bowl linebacker who came out of retirement to rejoin the Patriots in their sixth game this season, said on Showtime’s “Inside the NFL” that he’s ending his career.
Seau played eight games for the Patriots this season, all as a backup, finishing with last Sunday’s 33-14 playoff loss to Baltimore in which he made a season-high five tackles.
“That’s going to be my last game,” Seau said.
Seau, who turns 41 on Tuesday, first left football briefly in August 2006 after 13 seasons with San Diego and three with Miami. He signed with the Patriots four days later and started 14 of the 27 games he played for them over two seasons. He retired after the 2007 season, then came out of retirement for the final four games in 2008 before retiring again.
Crennel joins Chiefs
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Romeo Crennel, the defensive coordinator on the Patriots’ Super Bowl teams, joined the Chiefs in the same capacity.
When they take the field next season, the Chiefs will have the same defensive coordinator, offensive coordinator (Charlie Weis) and top front office executive (Scott Pioli) who helped lead New England to three Super Bowl titles from 2002-05.
Throw in quarterback Matt Cassel, who backed up Tom Brady with the Patriots, and the New England-Kansas City connection becomes even stronger.
Footnotes.
Cowboys running back Marion Barber (knee) missed practice and is questionable for Sunday’s second- round playoff game against the Vikings.
• Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin and linebacker Gerald Hayes did not practice because of ankle injuries and are likely to be game-day decisions for Saturday’s playoff game against the Saints.
• Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer turned down the Bills’ request to interview him for their vacant head coaching job, reported.
• Redskins offensive line coach Joe Bugel, who turns 70 in March, retired after 32 NFL seasons “to live the good life” with his family in Arizona.
