Saints’ safety Tyrann Mathieu is nominated for the 2024 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.
The Honey Badger hopes to join Drew Brees as only the second player in team history to receive this coveted accolade.
New Orleans Saints Safety Tyrann Mathieu has been nominated to represent the team in the 2024 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.
This renowned award, established in 2014, honors people who exemplify the qualities of excellent sportsmanship in memory of the late Pittsburgh Steelers founding owner and Pro Football Hall of Famer Art Rooney Sr. This award is presented to an individual who
demonstrates the real values of on-field sportsmanship, such as respect for the game and opponents, or honesty in competition. Last season, standout center Erik McCoy was the saints’ candidate.
A panel of four former NFL Legends Community players, including Pro Football Hall of Famer Curtis Martin, 2014 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award recipient and expected first-ballot Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald, 2004 Walter Payton Man of the Year winner Warrick Dunn, and current NFL Executive Director Leonard Wheeler, will select eight finalists (four from each conference) from the 32 nominees. When players can vote in December, the eight finalists will appear on the Pro Bowl ballot in the NFL Sportsmanship Award category.
The award is chosen by a vote of current NFL players. Each team’s players will vote collectively among the eight finalists.
However, like with Pro Bowl voting, a team is not allowed to vote for its own player. The winner of the 11th annual Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award will be announced during the NFL Honors program in February and will receive a $25,000 grant from the NFL Foundation to his favorite charity.
Drew Brees, a Saints great and potential first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback, earned this award in 2018, while Teddy Bridgewater, his former backup and fan favorite in New Orleans, received it in 2020 while playing for the Carolina Panthers.
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