Charles Woodson
Charles Woodson After putting together an incredible 2009 season, Green Bay Packers cornerback Charles Woodson has been named The Associated Press 2009 NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

Woodson earned 28 votes from a panel of 50 sportswriters on Tuesday following a campaign in which he tied for the league lead with nine interceptions, returning three for touchdowns, and was a key to the Packers' turnaround on defense.

Woodson's Packers were second in the league in overall defense, first in interceptions (30), takeaways (40) and turnover margin (plus-24).

"It's a great honor," Woodson said in a telephone interview Tuesday. "I felt like I put a lot into the game, mentally and physically -- your body's
always beat up -- and it's great to be recognized."

Woodson, the 1997 Heisman Trophy recipient, is the first cornerback chosen as the top defensive player since Deion Sanders in 1994.

In what could be called the year of the return of the shutdown-corner in the NFL, New York Jets Darrelle Revis finished second in the voting with 14 votes.

Woodson can partly attribute winning the award to his, and the Packers, defensive play down the stretch.

The Packers went 11-5 during the season, including taking seven of eight games in the second half of the schedule to secure an NFC wild-card berth. In that span, Green Bay allowed 15.6 points per game. Take away a last-second 37-36 loss to Pittsburgh, and the number becomes a minuscule 11.4.