Favre Edges Smith In Balloting For Nfl’s Top Offensive Player

Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre was named the 1995 National Football League offensive player of the year on Thursday.

“It was just an awesome year offensively for the whole unit,” said Favre, who won the award with 38 votes from a nationwide panel of 88 sports writers and broadcasters. Emmitt Smith, the Dallas Cowboys’ star running back, was second in balloting conducted by The Associated Press with 33 votes.

Favre had as many TD passes as votes. His 38 touchdowns were the most ever in the NFC, third only to Dan Marino’s seasons of 48 and 44.

Bryce Paup, an outside linebacker signed as a free agent by the Bills this season, was named the NFL’s defensive player of the year.

Paup, who led the NFL with 17-1/2 sacks, received 73 votes in balloting by a nationwide panel of 88 sports writers and broadcasters.

Pittsburgh linebacker Greg Lloyd was second in the balloting with five votes.

Former Kellogg High School football coach Wayne Sevier retired from his job as special teams coach for the St. Louis Rams.

“In coaching there’s always another season or another game to look forward to,” Sevier said. “But there are a few things I’d like to do at this point in my life and now is the time.”

Sevier, who coached at Kellogg in the late 1970s, joined the Rams in 1994. He was a part of the Washington Redskins’ coaching staff under Joe Gibbs when the team went to three Super Bowls.

Wide receiver Tony Martin of San Diego, cornerback Willie Williams of Pittsburgh and kick returner Tamarick Vanover of Kansas City are the AFC Players of the Month for December.