NFL Rookie of the Year 2011: Cam Newton Caps Amazing Year with Offensive Honor

In the Year of the Quarterback, it's only fitting that the kid who redefined the position comes away as the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, at the very least.

According to a Tweet from NFL Network, Newton earned the prestigious honor, as anticipated.

That was precisely the case at the NFL Honors on Saturday, where Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton was granted the top honor for first-year offensive standouts.

And deservedly so. Newton shattered expectations, even as the No. 1 pick in the 2011 NFL draft, setting a new rookie record for passing yards in a season and becoming the first newbie to rush and pass for 10 touchdowns or more.

But it wasn't just rookie records that the Heisman Trophy winner and BCS National Champion out of Auburn put to bed. Newton also set the single-season record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback and became the first player in league history to throw for 4,000 yards and rush for 500 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Newton's spectacular efforts came in support of a Panthers team that saw a four-win improvement from a year earlier, despite sporting one of the NFL's worst defenses and few legitimate weapons on offense.

For his efforts, Newton was selected to the 2012 Pro Bowl as an alternate for Eli Manning, who couldn't make it to Hawaii on account of his Super Bowl commitments.

Newton was trailed in the polling for the award by Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton and wide receiver A.J. Green, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones and Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray.

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