Steel City Underground presents the 1st annual SCU Awards. Our panel of contributors all voted on various awards for the Steelers with the player getting the most votes being the winner. Each article has it’s own list of nominees with one of our contributors stating their case for why that player earned their vote and deserves the award. Comment and let us know if you agree or disagree with our winners and nominees.

Our panel finished handing out our awards for the Steelers 2016 season earlier this week, but we also tallied votes from fans as well.

Those fan picks, alongside our picks, are listed below.

MVP

• SCU Panel Pick: Le’Veon Bell
• Fan Pick:

https://twitter.com/steelcityundrgr/status/834049377622704128

Fans agreed with our panel, and the team, that Le’Veon Bell was an unstoppable force, and deserving of the MVP award this season.

In only 12 games this season, Bell accumulated 1,884 yards with 9 total touchdowns, with a team-second 75 receptions. His first two playoff games each broke a Steelers franchise rushing record (breaking his own the second time around).

It was truly an MVP season for Bell. (Ryan Shazier received a couple of “write-in” votes.)

Full SCU Panel breakdown here.

Offensive Player of the Year

• SCU Panel Pick: Antonio Brown
• Fan Pick:

https://twitter.com/steelcityundrgr/status/829706347818209280

Outside of the contrarian pick by SCU, we agree that Bell was likely the offensive player of the year as well, but couldn’t let him walk away with that many awards!

Full SCU Panel breakdown here.

Defensive Player of the Year

• SCU Panel Pick: Ryan Shazier
• Fan Pick:

https://twitter.com/steelcityundrgr/status/832574581105950720

Also no controversy here, as Shazier earned a little over half of the fan vote, while James Harrison and Lawrence Timmons each received respectable nods as well.

Shazier was by and far a force on the Steelers defense, deflecting 9 passes, forcing 3 fumbles, registering 3.5 sacks and picking off 3 passes during the regular season.

Full SCU Panel breakdown here.

Special Teams Player of the Year

• SCU Panel Pick: Chris Boswell
• Fan Pick:

https://twitter.com/steelcityundrgr/status/829344843251974144

Also kind of difficult to pick someone other than a record-setter on special teams as the recipient of this awards.

Chris Boswell set a postseason NFL record for field goals in a game, while once again adding consistency to the kicking game.

Punter Jordan Berry and Darrius Heyward-Bey also received votes.

Full SCU Panel breakdown here.

Most Improved Player of the Year

• SCU Panel Pick: Alejandro Villanueva
• Fan Pick:

https://twitter.com/steelcityundrgr/status/833698867040366592

Once again half of our fan voters went along with the same panel pick as SCU. “Big Al” had a heck of a season, and was so solid as a left tackle, that the Steelers are looking to sign him to a long-term contract, rather than a one-year deal as they are doing with several of their other exclusive-rights free agents.

Full SCU Panel breakdown here.

Underdog of the Year

• SCU Panel Pick: Jesse James
• Fan Pick:

https://twitter.com/steelcityundrgr/status/831857921659138048

The fans went away from the SCU Panel pick on this award, selecting Eli Rogers. The SCU pick garnered a close second, while write-in picks included DeAngelo Williams, Alejandro Villanueva, and Vince Williams.

Rogers played his first full season as a pro, appearing in 13 games with 48 receptions, 594 receiving yards and a trio of touchdowns.

Full SCU Panel breakdown here.

Rookie of the Year

• SCU Panel Pick: Sean Davis
• Fan Pick:

https://twitter.com/steelcityundrgr/status/828988502260011008

It was neck-and-neck, but less than a handful of votes separated Pittsburgh’s first and second round picks, Artie Burns and Sean Davis. Both were major contributors on this year’s defense, as was third-place pick, Javon Hargrave.

Full SCU Panel breakdown here.

Comeback Player of the Year

• SCU Panel Pick: Le’Veon Bell
• Fan Pick:

https://twitter.com/steelcityundrgr/status/830079941752582145

Like our staff, it was hard to argue that Bell was head and shoulders above his peers, coming back from a suspension and a major knee injury, to wreck havoc on the NFL.

Full SCU Panel breakdown here.

‘Over 30’ Player of the Year

• SCU Panel Pick: James Harrison
• Fan Pick:

https://twitter.com/steelcityundrgr/status/831147848272056320

No surprise here, other than a mention from SCB’s Ben Anderson who picked Ben Roethlisberger; a player we all but eliminated as a possibility in most categories. (As no offense to Big Ben, but he could literally has been chosen for most, if not all of these awards!)

The 38-year-old James Harrison exceeded all expectations this season, playing a majority of the games down the stretch while forcing fumbles, getting hits on quarterbacks and even drawing a 2-point nullifying call due to his unstoppable pass rush.

Full SCU Panel breakdown here.