Harrell Repeats as AFL Offensive Player of Year
Damian Harrell continues to make history. Only this time, there was no defensive back waiting to take him down.
Harrell became the first player in Arena Football League history to repeat as Offensive Player of the Year on Wednesday (May 31) after setting new records for scoring (366 points), receiving touchdowns (60) and total TDs (61) during the 2006 season.
The Florida State alum is currently riding a record-tying streak of 65 consecutive regular-season games with a receiving TD.
Harrell led defending ArenaBowl champion Colorado to an 11-5 record and the Central Division title. The Crush were eliminated from the playoffs on May 28 as the Chicago Rush pulled off a 63-46 upset at Pepsi Center.
Harrell had his own challengers to fend off in order to pull out this personal repeat.
“There definitely were other players who deserved the award,” Harrell told the Denver Post. “I was especially impressed with what quarterback Clint Dolezel did for Dallas this year.”
Dolezel set a league record with 105 touchdown passes.
Siaha Burley (Utah); Mark Grieb (San Jose) and Chris Jackson (Georgia) also received votes. But Harrell’s many accomplishments – and importance to the Crush – were too great to ignore.
Harrell passed the 10,000-yard plateau this season and finished with 1,920 yards on 152 receptions.
“He’s my player, so I’m a little prejudiced. But it’s tough not to say he’s the best player in the league,” Crush coach Mike Dailey said of Harrell in the Denver Post. “He’s deserving of the award. It’s difficult to win it two years in a row and that goes to his credit. Teams know they must stop him and he still produces big numbers every game.”
Only three other players have won the Offensive Player of the Year award more than once. Eddie Brown won the award three times as a member of the now-defunct Albany Firebirds.
Is Harrell dreaming about joining Brown? Not quite – but he did acknowledge the possibility.
“I’ll try to make the plays for the organization, and the individual stuff will come,” Harrell said.
ALL-TIME AFL OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
2006: Damian Harrell (Colorado)
2005: Damian Harrell (Colorado)
2004: Marcus Nash (Las Vegas)
2003: Chris Jackson (Los Angeles)
2002: Mark Grieb (San Jose)
2001: Aaron Garcia (New York)
2000: Mike Horacek (Iowa)
1999: Eddie Brown (Albany)
1998: Calvin Schexnayder (Arizona)
1997: Barry Wagner (Orlando)
1996: Eddie Brown (Albany)
1995: Barry Wagner (Orlando)
1994: Eddie Brown (Albany)
1993: Hunkie Cooper (Arizona)
1992: Jay Gruden (Tampa Bay)
1991: George LaFrance (Detroit)
1990: Art Schlichter (Detroit)
1989: George LaFrance (Detroit)
1988: Ben Bennett (Chicago)
1987: Russell Hairston (Pittsburgh)
NOTE:Award was Most Valuable Player from 1987-95.
