National Football League

Cooper Kupp, T.J. Watt among NFL's biggest winners of 2021

Updated Feb. 16, 2022 5:14 p.m. ET

Odell Beckham Jr. certainly didn’t look like a winner while being helped off the field during the second quarter of last Sunday’s Super Bowl. His now-famous purple mohawk topped a teary grimace as the star receiver was restricted to the sidelines after suffering a reported torn ACL.

But Emmanuel Acho refused to let a bitter ending define Beckham's remarkable finish to the season, naming him the biggest winner of the 2021 NFL campaign Tuesday afternoon on "Speak for Yourself."

Here’s a look at Acho and Marcellus Wiley’s biggest winners from this season:

The biggest winners from the 2021 NFL season

The 2021-2022 NFL season has officially concluded following the Los Angeles Rams' victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI. Marcellus Wiley and Emmanuel Acho look back on the NFL season and share the biggest winners from the incredible season.

ACHO’S WINNERS:

Deebo Samuel: Household name

Deebo Samuel was tracking toward a solid but unremarkable career through two seasons in the NFL — the kind of player that might elicit a couple "Oh yeahs" in sports talk circles 15 years from now. The ex-Gamecock hauled in 802 receiving yards during his rookie season and regressed to fewer than 400 in an injury-shortened second season.

But the 6-foot speedster shattered expectations in 2021 with nearly 1,800 all-purpose yards, dragging an often toothless San Francisco offense to the NFC Championship Game and becoming a household name in the Bay Area.

Acho’s thoughts: "He (Samuel) was a good player in the NFL. But all of a sudden this year he turned into an All-Pro beast. Put some respect on his name; (he’s) a crazy talented player."

T.J. Watt: Watt's up?

T.J. Watt joined James Harrison, Jack Lambert and a host of other terrifying musclemen to bring the Defensive Player of the Year award back to Pittsburgh in 2021. Watt earned 85% of the vote after a remarkable season, finishing with 22.5 sacks and nearly 65 total tackles in 2021.

Totaling the second-most sacks since 2016 and standing as the odds-on favorite to defend his DPOY distinction in 2022, Watt seemingly stamped his ticket to Canton this season.

Acho’s thoughts: "(Watt was) second in Defensive Player of the Year voting last year, I believe he was third two years ago, now he’s No. 1. T.J. Watt’s Hall of Fame résumé looks like it’s already getting stacked up. T.J. Watt, reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

Odell Beckham Jr.: Escape to Los Angeles

Beckham clearly doesn’t think much of the idiom "beggars can’t be choosers." Beckham Jr. began 2021 blatantly discontented with the Browns, being dismissed from a November practice and released by the team midseason.

The receiver’s apparent criteria for a new team was "anywhere but here," and he swapped out a dreary Cleveland winter for the sunny shores of Los Angeles and a Super Bowl hunt. Beckham garnered 305 receiving yards in seven starts for the Rams and hauled in a touchdown in the Super Bowl before his injury.

Acho’s thoughts: "If you would have told Odell at the start of the season that (he’d) be a Super Bowl champ and catch a touchdown in the Super Bowl, that would have blown his mind, even if you didn’t tell him where. Where else would you rather play if you’re Odell? What else could you accomplish if you’re Odell? He went from literal rags — Cleveland with Baker — to literal riches — Super Bowl with Stafford."

WILEY’S WINNERS:

Sports rehab and player safety: The miracles of modern medicine

Wiley’s thoughts: "There are some miracles of modern science that are happening right now. Cam Akers won a Super Bowl and tore his Achilles in the same season. T.J. Watt, beast, remember he messed his groin up and went out there and tied the sack record. Micah Parsons played with a hyperextended knee the entire year, and he was Micah Parsons. These dudes are out there doing different in rehab."

Super teams: Money can buy you love … and rings

After watching his Arsenal F.C. get outspent and outplayed by the elites of European soccer, Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke exacted luxuriant revenge upon the NFL. Kroenke commissioned the state-of-the-art SoFi Stadium, spent lavishly on many of the league’s standout players and won the Lombardi Trophy in front of their home crowd.

Wiley’s thoughts: "Remember the idea of money can’t buy you love? Well, it can buy you love and rings now. Stan Kroenke spent $8 billion (on) stadium, relocation fees and bought a super team. Super Bowl champion."

Cooper Kupp: The Kupp runneth over

Cooper Kupp made route-running sexy in 2021. The former Eastern Washington star was never tabbed as an elite receiver and only finished in the top-15 in receiving yards once in his first four seasons.

But with nearly 2,000 all-purpose yards and a triple crown title — the first receiver since 2005 to lead the NFL in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns — Kupp grew from good to unguardable in 2021.

Wiley’s thoughts: "The Kupp (Cooper Kupp) runneth over. Cooper Kupp was good to — if you really knew football — great. Now, you talked about household names, beyond that (he’s) a triple crown winner hanging out with Mickey Mouse. That’s the No. 1 winner."