SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Kansas City safety Eric Berry, who missed 10 games the previous season battling lymphoma, then returned to the Chiefs to become an All-Pro, has won The Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year award.

Berry’s inspirational story and superb performance on the field earned him 38 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who regularly cover the league. Berry was a mainstay on a Kansas City defense that sparked a 10-game winning streak during the regular season.

He easily outdistanced Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer, who came back from knee surgery to lead the Cardinals to a 13-3 regular season. Palmer received six votes.

All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson, who sat out all but one game in 2014 in a child abuse case, led the NFL in rushing.

Berry’s win was announced Saturday night at the NFL Honors show.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Kansas City’s Marcus Peters is the first cornerback in 17 years to win The Associated Press NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

Peters, a first-round selection (18th overall) out of Washington, was a key to the Chiefs’ 11-game winning streak this season that helped them to the divisional playoff round. He tied Cincinnati’s Reggie Nelson for the NFL lead with eight interceptions. Peters returned two for scores, one covering 90 yards. He also had a pick in the postseason.

That performance earned Peters 45 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who regularly cover the NFL. Buffalo CB Ronald Darby was next with four votes, and one ballot went to Jets lineman Leonard Williams.

Oakland’s Charles Woodson was the previous cornerback to win the award, which was presented Saturday night as part of NFL Honors.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Paul Jesperson made five 3-pointers and scored 21 points as Northern Iowa shot 62 percent from the field and beat Drake 82-66 on Saturday for its fourth straight win.  Wes Washpun added 15 points and six assists for the Panthers (14-11, 6-6 Missouri Valley), who have won nine of their last ten. Northern Iowa made 34 of 55 field goals, including 12 of 22 from 3-point range, and finished with five in double figures.

Reed Timmer had 18 points for Drake (6-18, 1-11).  The Panthers led 25-23 with seven minutes left before the break, and used a 16-5 run to push it to 41-28 at halftime. Timmer made three straight free throws to pull the Bulldogs to 56-45 with 11:30 remaining. Jesperson scored five points and Washpun added four as part of a 16-4 spurt and the Panthers led 72-49 with 5:45 left.

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Georges Niang scored 18 points —16 in the second half — and added nine rebounds to help lead No. 13 Iowa State to a 64-59 victory over Oklahoma State on Saturday. Niang shot 7 for 10 from the floor and recorded all of his rebounds after halftime to lead the Cyclones (17-6, 6-4 Big 12). Monte Morris and Matt Thomas each scored 16 points.

Jeffrey Carroll scored 18 points and added a team-high seven rebounds for Oklahoma State (11-12, 2-8), which lost for the fourth time in five games and eighth in 10.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa State star Jameel McKay has been suspended indefinitely for violating team rules. Cyclones spokesman Matt Shoultz told The Associated Press that the 6-foot-9 senior did not make the trip for Saturday’s game at Oklahoma State. McKay is averaging 12.4 points and 9 rebounds a game. His absence will further stress a roster that’s been thin all year.

The 13th-ranked Cyclones are 16-6 and 5-4 in the Big 12. They likely will move forward Abdel Nader to the post and give Deonte Burton his first start of the year against the Cowboys.  In that case, Iowa State’s first post player off the bench could be freshman Simeon Carter. He hasn’t played in any of the nine league games.