21.  Denver's Dikembe Mutombo is crowing about deserving the defensive player award.

22.  Despite being named the defensive player of the year last season, he was the 19th highest-paid player in the NFL.

23.  Doug Christie, a long, lean and aggressive defensive player, will make Bryant work for his points.

24.  Dexter Coakley was named defensive player of the year.

25.  During one drill, he was struck on the chest by the ball, not an uncommon occurrence for a defensive player.

26.  During one meeting, Skipper called Hampton to the blackboard to identify a particular defensive player.

27.  Each defensive player was handed a copy at the first minicamp in May.

28.  Each week, the team's defensive player of the week is in charge of carrying the lunch pail to meetings, practices and the game.

29.  Early third quarter, when Pittsburgh's Bam Morris dragged a few defensive players on a 15-yard run.

30.  Doug Vogt, a defensive end for the Mariners (3-1), was named defensive player of the week by the Freedom Football Conference.