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Falcons QB Matt Ryan wins NFL MVP honors

NFL, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, Miami Dolphins, San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Denver Broncos

HOUSTON -- The Latest on The Associated Press 2016 NFL awards (all times local):

7:50 p.m.

Quarterback Matt Ryan is the first Atlanta Falcons player to win The Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player award.

Ryan, also voted to the 2016 All-Pro Team by a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the NFL, earned 25 votes in balloting announced Saturday night at the NFL Honors show. He beat out New England quarterback Tom Brady, who received 10 votes.

They will meet in Sunday's Super Bowl.

Ryan topped the NFL in passer rating (117.1), throwing for 38 touchdowns with seven interceptions. He led the Falcons (11-5) to the NFC South title.

It's the fourth consecutive year and ninth in the past 10 a quarterback has won the award.

Dallas rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott and Oakland QB Derek Carr each received six votes.

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7:35 p.m.

The Cowboys' Jason Garrett has won the 2016 Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year award.

Garrett led Dallas to an NFC-best 13-3 record in a turnaround season before the Cowboys lost to Green Bay in the playoffs.

In his seventh season at the Cowboys' helm, Garrett used two rookies, quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott, operating behind a terrific offensive line, to lift Dallas to its best record in nine years. The Cowboys also had the third-stingiest scoring defense in the NFC.

Garrett received 25 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the NFL. He easily outdistanced New England's Bill Belichick (14 votes). Miami's Adam Gase got six, Oakland's Jack Del Rio four, and Kansas City's Andy Reid one.

Garrett is the first Dallas coach to win the award since Jimmy Johnson in 1990. Tom Landry won it in 1966.

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6:55 p.m.

Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan has won the 2016 Associated Press NFL Assistant Coach of the Year award.

Apparently headed to the head coaching job of the 49ers after helping Atlanta on Sunday against New England in the Super Bowl, Shanahan earned 13+ votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league. He beat Dallas defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli by three as 10 assistants drew votes in balloting announced Saturday night.

Shanahan, whose father Mike won two Super Bowls as Denver's head coach, oversaw the NFL's most prolific offense, which scored 540 points. Quarterback Matt Ryan and wide receiver Julio Jones were All-Pros this season.

Shanahan is the third winner of the award, following Todd Bowles, then Arizona's defensive coordinator, in 2014, and Wade Phillips, then Denver's DC, last season.

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Green Bay's Jordy Nelson is an overwhelming choice as the 2016 Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

The Packers receiver severely tore ligaments in his right knee in the 2015 preseason and missed the entire season. He returned to full-time action last summer, caught six passes and scored a touchdown in the opener and never looked back.

Nelson finished the season with 97 receptions for 1,257 yards and a league-high 14 touchdowns in helping Green Bay win the NFC North. That performance earned him 36 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the NFL. Miami defensive end Cameron Wake received 11 votes in results announced Saturday night.

Nelson is the first Packer to win the award and only the second wide receiver. Carolina's Steve Smith was a co-winner in 2005.

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6:50 p.m.

Matt Ryan, who has his Atlanta Falcons poised to play in the Super Bowl, has won the 2016 Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year award.

The quarterback who led the league in passing this season in the best performance of his nine-year career, led Atlanta to the NFC South title before helping it win two playoff games for its first appearance in the Super Bowl since 1999.

He drew 15+ votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league. Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers was second with 11 and Arizona's versatile running back, David Johnson, received eight in results announced Saturday night.

Atlanta scored a league-high 540 points.

Ryan, who threw for 4,944 yards, 38 touchdowns, seven interceptions and had a 117.1 rating, is the first Falcon to win the award.

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6:35 p.m.

Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa has won the 2016 Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in a landslide.

Sitting out the first four games after a protracted preseason holdout didn't damage the third overall draft pick much. He still managed 12+ sacks as the key threat on a San Diego defense that ranked only 16th overall.

That performance earned Bosa 37 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league. He easily outdistanced Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who received 10. The other three votes went to Falcons linebacker Deion Jones in balloting announced Saturday night.

Bosa, whose father played three seasons with Miami (1987-89), is the second Charger to win the honor. Linebacker Shawne Merriman earned it in 2005.

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6:20 p.m.

Dak Prescott has won a two-man race with Dallas teammate Ezekiel Elliott to take the 2016 Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

The Cowboys' fourth-round draft pick stepped in when quarterback Tony Romo was injured in the preseason and led Dallas to a 13-3 record, best in the NFC. He got plenty of help from his running back, Elliott, the fourth overall selection.

In balloting announced Saturday night, Prescott received 28+ votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league. The other 21+ went to Elliott, who rushed for a league-high 1,631 yards and scored 15 times. Prescott ranked third in passing behind the two Super Bowl quarterbacks, throwing for 23 TDs with four interceptions.

Prescott is the first Cowboy since Emmitt Smith in 1990 to earn the honor. Tony Dorsett, Duane Thomas and Calvin Hill also won it for Dallas.

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6:10 p.m.

Oakland's All-Pro edge rusher Khalil Mack has won the 2016 Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year award, edging last season's Super Bowl MVP, Von Miller, by one vote.

Mack drew 18 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the NFL. Denver linebacker Miller was next at 17 in balloting announced Saturday night.

Mack was, by far, the standout player on a Raiders defense that ranked only 26th overall. He had 11 sacks, took part in 73 tackles, forced five fumbles and recovered three, and even had an interception for a touchdown. He's the second Oakland defender to win the award; cornerback Lester Hayes got it in 1980.

Miller also had a big year with 13+ sacks, 78 tackles and three forced fumbles for the fourth-rated Broncos.

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