ap nfl defensive player of the year award 

Statements about this table:
the green bay packer , in 1998 have a team defense ranking of 4
the highest number for the opposite of offense for the green bay packer be 4 in 2011
year
player name
nfl team
position
team defense rank
team performance
1971
alan page
minnesota vikings
defensive tackle
2
nfc division champ
1972
joe greene
pittsburgh steelers
defensive tackle
8
afc championship
1973
dick anderson
miami dolphins
safety
3
won super bowl viii
1974
joe greene (2)
pittsburgh steelers (2)
defensive tackle
4
won super bowl ix
1975
mel blount
pittsburgh steelers (3)
cornerback
4
won super bowl x
1976
jack lambert
pittsburgh steelers (4)
linebacker
1
afc championship
1977
harvey martin
dallas cowboys
defensive end
1
won super bowl xii
1978
randy gradishar
denver broncos
linebacker
6
afc divisional
1979
lee roy selmon
tampa bay buccaneers
defensive end
1
nfc championship
1980
lester hayes
oakland raiders
cornerback
11
won super bowl xv
1981
lawrence taylor - r
new york giants
linebacker
3
nfc divisional
1982
lawrence taylor (2)
new york giants (2)
linebacker
7
4 - 5 no playoffs (strike season)
1983
doug betters
miami dolphins (2)
defensive end
7
afc divisional
1984
kenny easley
seattle seahawks
safety
6
afc divisional
year
player name
nfl team
position
team defense rank
team performance
1985
mike singletary
chicago bears
linebacker
1
won super bowl xx
1986
lawrence taylor (3)
new york giants (3)
linebacker
2
won super bowl xxi
1987
reggie white
philadelphia eagles
defensive end
23
7 - 8 no playoffs (strike season)
1988
mike singletary (2)
chicago bears (2)
linebacker
2
nfc championship
1989
keith millard
minnesota vikings (2)
defensive tackle
1
nfc divisional
1990
bruce smith
buffalo bills
defensive end
8
lost super bowl xxv
1991
pat swilling
new orleans saints
linebacker
2
nfc wildcard
1992
cortez kennedy
seattle seahawks (2)
defensive tackle
10
2 - 14 no playoffs
1993
rod woodson
pittsburgh steelers (5)
cornerback
3
afc wildcard
1994
deion sanders
san francisco 49ers
cornerback
8
won super bowl xxix
1995
bryce paup
buffalo bills (2)
linebacker
13
afc divisional
1996
bruce smith (2)
buffalo bills (3)
defensive end
9
afc wildcard
1997
dana stubblefield
san francisco 49ers (2)
defensive tackle
1
nfc championship
year
player name
nfl team
position
team defense rank
team performance
1998
reggie white (2)
green bay packers
defensive end
4
nfc wildcard
1999
warren sapp
tampa bay buccaneers (2)
defensive tackle
3
nfc championship
2000
ray lewis
baltimore ravens
linebacker
2
won super bowl xxxv
2001
michael strahan
new york giants (4)
defensive end
14
7 - 9 no playoffs
2002
derrick brooks
tampa bay buccaneers (3)
linebacker
1
won super bowl xxxvii
2003
ray lewis (2)
baltimore ravens (2)
linebacker
3
afc wildcard
2004
ed reed
baltimore ravens (3)
safety
6
9 - 7 no playoffs
2005
brian urlacher
chicago bears (3)
linebacker
2
nfc divisional
2006
jason taylor
miami dolphins (3)
defensive end
4
6 - 10 , no playoffs
2007
bob sanders
indianapolis colts
safety
3
afc divisional
2008
james harrison
pittsburgh steelers (6)
linebacker
1
won super bowl xliii
2010
troy polamalu
pittsburgh steelers (7)
safety
2
lost super bowl xlv
2011
terrell suggs
baltimore ravens (4)
linebacker
3
afc championship