The Art Rooney Award is given annually by the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the majo ...

(NFL) in recognition of outstanding sportsmanship on the playing field. Established in 2015, the award is named in honor of Art Rooney, the founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and a member of the

Pro Football Hall of Fame The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame for professional American football, located in Canton, Ohio. Opened on September 7, , the Hall of Fame enshrines exceptional figures in the sport of professional football, including players, coa ...

. The award is determined by a vote of the NFL players. The award is presented each year to an NFL player who demonstrates on the field the qualities of great sportsmanship, including fair play, respect for opponents, and integrity in competition. Each NFL team nominates one player during the season. A panel of former players from the NFL Legends Community selected from the 32 nominees eight finalists (four in the

American Football Conference The American Football Conference (AFC) is one of the two conferences of the National Football League (NFL), the highest professional level of American football in the United States. The AFC and its counterpart, the National Football Conference ...

; four in the

National Football Conference The National Football Conference (NFC) is one of the two conferences of the National Football League (NFL), the highest professional level of American football in the United States. The NFC and its counterpart, the American Football Conference ( ...

). The panel of Legends Coordinators in the inaugural year was composed of Warrick Dunn, Curtis Martin,

Karl Mecklenburg Karl Bernard Mecklenburg (born September 1, 1960), nicknamed "the Albino Rhino", is a former football linebacker for the Denver Broncos in the National Football League (NFL). National Football League In 1983, the Denver Broncos drafted Karl Mec ...

and Leonard Wheeler. Along with the award, the winner receives a $25,000 donation from the

NFL Foundation The National Football League (NFL) Foundation, previously known as NFL Charities, is a non-profit making charitable organization, established by the member clubs of the National Football League (NFL) in 1973. It enables the clubs to collectively ...

to a charity of his choice.

Award winners

References

{{NFL Honors National Football League trophies and awards Sportsmanship trophies and awards

Award winners

See also

References