Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald was hailed as the Defensive Player of the Year for the 2020 season after a stellar campaign on the field. However, his victory was met with criticism as Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt argued for the case of his younger brother T.J. to win the award over Donald.

Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey then came to the defense of his teammate and claimed that Donald's greatness on the field can't be disputed:

Aaron Donald finished the season with 45 total tackles, 13.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles through 16 games played. His stifling presence on the field helped the Rams be one of the best defensive teams in the league.

Head coach Sean McVay's squad finished the season with a 10-6 record. They managed to eliminate the Seattle Seahawks in the Wild Card Round but fell short against the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Divisional Round. Donald's production on the field garnered him 27 of 50 votes to claim Defensive Player of the Year honors for the third time in his seven-year career.

Settling in at second place in the voting with 20 votes was indeed the younger Watt brother. He ended the season with tallies of 53 total tackles, 15.0 sacks, and two forced fumbles in 15 appearances. His team had an impressive 11-0 start to begin the season, but their late-season collapse didn't bode well for the candidacy of Watt for the award.

Miami Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard finished third in the voting with three votes after totaling 51 tackles, 10 interceptions, and a forced fumble through 16 contests.