'DWTS' winner Bobby Bones: 'Every single person on this is a better dancer than me'

In an upset, country-music radio host Bobby Bones won "Dancing With the Stars" season 27 Monday night, though he himself conceded he had reached the finals not "because of my scores" but "because of my people."

"You are, in very true words, the people's champion, my friend," host Tom Bergeron, 63, told Bones, 38, who with professional ballroom-dance partner Sharna Burgess defeated actress Evanna Lynch and Keo Motsepe, actor Milo Manheim and Witney Carson, and model Alexis Ren and Alan Bersten.

This follows last week's surprise elimination of actor Juan Pablo Di Pace and partner Cheryl Burke. They earned five perfect scores this season, including twice on that semifinal show, but did not receive enough audience votes to remain.

"You guys did this," Bones, born Bobby Estell, wrote on social media afterward, thanking fans.

On "Good Morning America" Tuesday, Bones reiterated that "every single person on this is a better dancer than me," but credited his and Burgess' determination. In response to "GMA" co-host Michael Strahan asking if he had any word for the naysayers, Bones responded, "Well, no, not [to] the naysayers but to everyone who's told no. I just want to say that it doesn't matter where you're coming from, because we came from the lowest spot" in the "DWTS" ranking at one point. "It's always where you're looking and where you're going."

He added, "Every day for us, it wasn't [that] we were looking to weeks [ahead] or looking to even the finale, it was practice by practice. And every single practice when we finished … we were like, 'OK, today is done.' We did it one day at a time, one climb at a time."

Bones said on social media Tuesday, "Grateful for many things right now. Grateful for you that's seeing this. Grateful for her. Grateful for the experience. Grateful for this mirrorball [trophy]." 

On Tuesday evening, he posted a video to Instagram, saying: "It was crazy last night, winning. Crazy. The other three competitors were fantastic, way better dancers than me. I told them that — each of them, indivually. But I was lucky 'cause I had you guys. And I'm lucky I had Sharna. And I always believe, surround yourself with the best people because that will get the best out of you and that's what I did. And I just appreciate you so much. And I appreciate Sharna so much. And, no matter what the odds are, I hope you saw whatever this whole experience was¯ — and you saw this awkward guy who didn't know how to dance, who got nervous every single time — and I hope that encourages you to do something uncomfortable. And hopefully you'll get your version of this," he said as he held up the mirrorball trophy. "But even if you don't, at least you can go try. Thank you."

This also was the first victory for longtime "DWTS" pro dancer Burgess, 33. "6 years and 12 partners later," she wrote on social media minutes afterward, "6 years and 12 partners later... it's the win i never expected but it's everything I could've dreamed. … Thank you to every single person who voted, who rallied, who supported and believed in us. We quite literally wouldn't be here without you. @mrbobbybones once I process all these emotions there is a post coming just for you. But for now . . . simply thank you for everything."

Early Tuesday she added, "Woke up and it's still real."

In his Instagram video posted Tuesday, Bones added: "Also, shoutout Neil Patrick Harris. I know he's bashing me on Twitter. But I'm such a big fan ... I don't even care. He just acknowledged that I existed! That's fricking cool! Neil Patrick Harris if you see this, what up, buddy? Thank you guys so much. Thank you so much, everybody."

Harris, had tweeted after the finale's results Monday night: "Dancing With the Stars just confirmed why I don’t watch Dancing With the Stars," presumably a public critique of Bones' dancing ability and his shocking victory.