Even though we're fans, typically super-biased to our team, we have to admit, when Keith Rivers received one of the votes for 2008 Defensive Rookie of the Year, we were, well, shocked. Jerod Mayo ended up winning the award with 49 of 50 votes. If you consider that Rivers was hurt on the fourth play from scrimmage against the Steelers, injured for the season after Hines Ward broke Rivers' jaw on a crack-back block, Rivers only played in six full games.
While Mayo unquestionably deserves the award, we're not sure how Rivers got any votes. However, he was clearly off to a good start, recording eight tackles or more in three of his first four games. With an interception, pass defensed, included on his resume, I believed at the time that Rivers was in the running for Defensive Rookie of the Year. I just didn't know he still was.
Through the first six games between the two rookie linebackers.
| Tackles | Solo | Sacks | INTs | Pass Defensed | |
| Keith Rivers | 37 | 24 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Jerod Mayo | 42 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0 |