While Bosa may have downplayed his individual accolades, his teammates were quick to point out its significance. Perhaps no one was more proud of the rookie than Brandon Mebane. The captain is in his 10th NFL season, and noted how Bosa's accomplishment is unlike any he'd seen over his first nine years as a member of the vaunted Seattle Seahawks' defense.

"This is a big (accomplishment). I think he's the first rookie I've played with that has won that (award). He's a great player. He has had a lot of production, and can just play. His football IQ is very high. The good thing is that he's just in his first year. I mean, can you imagine how good he is going to be once he gets into year four or five? Seeing what he's able to do now, it's like 'Wow! Prepare for what's coming.'"

"Joey's had an outstanding month," added Head Coach Mike McCoy. "I think we all understood when we picked him this year, once he got here with us back on the field in the games, the type of player he was. You saw the first time somebody tried to run the football on him, and the way he got after the quarterback, this is the guy that we thought we were getting. (We're) Very happy that he's out there with us impacting and helping our football team."

Defensive Coordinator John Pagano offered a similar assessment, noting how Bosa carries himself more like a seasoned vet than a 21-year old with only 16 quarters of experience.