NEW YORK — A positive drug test notwithstanding, Texans linebacker Brian Cushing is still The Associated Press NFL defensive rookie of the year.
Five days after he was suspended without pay for four games, a nationwide panel of 50 sportswriters and broadcasters who cover the NFL voted again to give Cushing the award. He didn’t receive anywhere near the 39 votes of his previous landslide victory, but the 18 he got in Wednesday’s revote were enough to reclaim the honor.
“I was just glad to hear the news, that people stuck by me. Very honored,” Cushing said.
In the revote, Cushing finished five votes ahead of Bills safety Jairus Byrd. Packers linebacker Clay Matthews III got 12, Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo earned three votes, and Rams linebacker James Laurinaitis got one. Three voters abstained.
In all, 19 voters switched from Cushing to another player, and one voted for Cushing after picking Byrd originally.
“I’m good,” Byrd said, referring to the result. “Yeah, I’m fine with it.”
Cushing did lose his spot on the all-pro second team, for which he originally had five votes and now has just one.
One voter who switched from Cushing, Adam Schein of Sirius NFL Radio and , said he was stunned by the outcome.
“A player who tests positive for a performance-enhancing drug, especially a masking agent for steroids, should not be honored with a prestigious award,” Schein said. “He failed the test in September. His season is tainted. This is wrong.”
Footnotes.
Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez said his rehabilitation from offseason knee surgery is progressing on schedule, but he can’t say if he’ll be ready to participate in minicamp in June.
• Restricted free-agent running back Cadillac Williams signed his one-year tender to remain with the Buccaneers, who also claimed guard Michael Shumard off waivers from the Broncos.
The Associated Press
