Ranking the 30 best Defensive Player of the Year winning seasons

Ranking the 30 best Defensive Player of the Year winning seasons: 27. 1985 Mike Singletary

Mike Singletary was one of the leaders of the 1985 Chicago Bears. It’s considered one of the greatest defensive units in the history of the game. That has to get some representation on this list, but Singletary loses just a little bit of luster because it could have been multiple players on that defense who could win. Leslie Frazier led the team with six interceptions. William Perry brought his “refrigerator” size to the middle of the defensive line. Richard Dent forced seven fumbles that season. But this defense went through Mike Singletary.

Singletary never had those eye-popping numbers. He only had three sacks this season, but the tape tells the story. He was downright scary on a football field. When he was a head coach, we saw the intensity that had other teams scared in their cleats.

Singletary was key in Buddy Ryan’s 46 defense that helped dominate the league. Singletary continued to help this team dominate all the way through the Super Bowl where they destroyed the New England Patriots 45-10.

This was the one really great season from this defense, but Singletary’s legend would never be the same. He was a star for his performance. This might have been an award that came thanks to a team, but that Bears 1985 defense is not the same without Singletary.