NFL honors: League names best of year; Hall picks seven

HOUSTON — Pro Football Hall of Fame voters gave two jilted cities something to cheer about Saturday, electing former San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson and former St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner to a seven-man class.

‘‘I will carry the St. Louis fans and community with me,’’ said Warner, who is best-known for his rise out of the Arena Football League to lead the Rams to two Super Bowl appearances and the Arizona Cardinals to one.

Tomlinson, who ran for more than 1,000 yards in each of his first eight seasons, said finding out he had been elected was ‘‘like nothing else I’ve ever experienced.’’ His eyes were still red from crying.

“That city raised me into the man I am today,” he said. “Those fans inspired me to run harder, to dig deeper.”

The other five men selected for induction were former Denver Broncos running back Terrell Davis, the most valuable player of Super Bowl XXXII; former Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor, who had more sacks than any player in 2000-11; former kicker Morten Andersen, who played 25 seasons; former Seattle Seahawks safety Kenny Easley, a bruising hitter who had 32 interceptions; and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

Former center Kevin Mawae, who served as a Bears offensive assistant this season, was among the finalists who didn’t get in.

Former Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher is among those eligible for the Hall next year.

MVP

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was voted the Associated Press’ MVP and offensive player of the year. He taped a message that aired on the NFL awards show because he was preparing for the Super Bowl on Sunday.

Ryan, who threw for 4,944 yards and 38 touchdowns, earned 25 votes to New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s 10. The two will face each other in the Super Bowl.

Man of the Year

Jarrett and Brittney Payton shared the stage with commissioner Roger Goodell and later watched as the award named for their father, Walter, ended in a tie.

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who works with sick children, and Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald, whose focus is cancer patients, shared the Walter Payton Man of the Year honor, the first tie in the history of the award.

Manning said it was an honor to be “mentioned in the same sentence as Walter Payton.”

This and that

Oakland Raiders pass rusher Khalil Mack was voted the AP’s defensive player of the year.

• Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa were voted the AP’s offensive and defensive rookies of the year.

• Cowboys coach Jason Garrett was voted the AP’s coach of the year and Green Bay Packers receiver Jordy Nelson its comeback player of the year after returning from a season-ending knee injury suffered in 2015.

Follow me on Twitter @patrickfinley.

Email: pfinley@suntimes.com