Weatherington named 2008 AFL Lineman of the Year
Wednesday July 2, 2008
Defensive End Earns Award For Second Time In Five-Year Career
DALLAS, Texas – Dallas Desperados DE Colston Weatherington was named the 2008 AFL Lineman of the Year as announced today by league officials, capturing the award that was voted on by coaches, players and fans following the conclusion of the 2008 regular season after leading the league with a career-high 10.5 sacks.
“That really makes me feel good, and I’m real excited to win the award,” said Weatherington after hearing the news live on ESPN News’s The Hotlist. “I’m blessed and I appreciate it, but all I do is do my job. As a personal goal, it’s a great accomplishment, but I would rather melt that down so me and my guys could have some rings for the real ring and the real trophy: a championship. I appreciate the single accomplishments that I did achieve, but I’d rather have my teammates share it with me.”
Weatherington led the AFL, and tied a Desperados franchise record (Tom Briggs), with 10.5 sacks in 2008 while starting in all 16 games during the regular season. He also finished second in the league in tackles for loss with 11.0, while also posting 24.0 tackles, eight quarterback hurries, five pass breakups, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Overall, he is Dallas’s all-time sack leader (37.0), and is 11th all-time in the AFL, sixth among active players.
Weatherington, who also won the award in 2006, is one of only two Desperados players to win the award, joining Briggs (2003). In all, the Desperados have won seven individual league awards including: Ironman of the Year (2007 – Will Pettis), Lineman of the Year (2008 – Weatherington; 2006 – Weatherington; 2003 Briggs), Coach of the Year (2006 – Will McClay) and Executive of the Year (2006 – Shy Anderson; 2007 – Shy Anderson).
| ALL-TIME LINEMAN OF THE YEAR WINNERS | ||
|---|---|---|
| SEASON | PLAYER | TEAM |
| 2008 | Colston Weatherington | Dallas Desperados |
| 2007 | Greg White | Orlando Predators |
| 2006 | Colston Weatherington | Dallas Desperados |
| 2005 | Silas Demary | Los Angeles Avengers |
| 2004 | John Moyer | Chicago Rush |
| 2003 | Tom Briggs | Dallas Desperados |
| 2002 | R-Kal Truluck | Detroit Fury |
| 2001 | James Baron | Nashville Kats |
| 2000 | Sam Hernandez | San Jose SaberCats |
| 1999 | Robert Stewart | New Jersey Red Dogs |
| 1998 | James Baron | Nashville Kats |
| 1997 | Carlos Fowler | Houston ThunderBears |
| 1996 | Kent Wells | Tampa Bay Storm |
| 1991 | John Corker | Detroit Drive |
| * No award issued from 1992-95. | ||
