Nestled in the heartland of the United States lies Kansas City, Missouri, home of the nationally famous Kansas City Chiefs. Kansas City is a sports town known for other sports of equal popularity such as the Royals as well as for its barbecue.
Of lesser fame, but certainly not importance, is the work done by “The Committee of 101.”After the conclusion of the official NFL season, the Committee hosts the annual 101 Awards which is Kansas City’s contribution and salute to professional football. Each year the Committee honors those who have achieved greatness in the league as well as celebrating the legacies of those who have made the league what it is today.
Founded in 1969, the Committee selects the Offensive Player of the Year and the Defensive Player of the Year as well as the coach of the year in the American and National Football Conferences. Per the 101 Awards website:
Winners in each of the six award categories are selected by a national Selection Committee that is comprised of 101 sportswriters and broadcasters that cover the National Football League on a regular basis. Balloting is conducted at the conclusion of the NFL’s regular season. Award recipients are announced at a press conference in January each year.
In 2008, the Committee added an additional award to honor the late great Lamar Hunt who was a legendary promoter and supporter of sports in the United States. One of the original members of “The Foolish Club,” Hunt joined with other businessmen such as the late Bud Adams and Ralph Wilson to help found the American Conference in 1960 as a rival to the National Football League.
The conference thrived and in 1966 the two leagues agreed to a merger. Hunt was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1972. The Lamar Hunt Award is given annually to an individual or group that has played a role in helping the NFL become the preeminent pro sports league in America.
The formal event starts tonight with the presentations to begin around 6:30 p.m. CDT. This year is rather unique since it features an extra nominee for the first time in its award history. The Committee chose to honor two Pittsburgh Steelers in Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell as co-winners of the AFC Offensive Player of the Year. This year’s nominees are as follows:
AFC Offensive Player of the Year - Antonio Brown & Le’Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers
NFC Offensive Player of the Year - Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
AFC Defensive Player of the Year - J.J. Watt, Houston Texans
NFC Defensive Player of the Year - Richard Sherman, Seattle Seahawks
AFC Coach of the Year - Bill Belichick, New England Patriots
NFC Coach of the Year - Bruce Arians, Arizona Cardinals
Lamar Hunt Award for Professional Football - Paul Tagliabue
Per Rachel Santchi of kcchiefs.com, the proceeds from the NFL 101 event will go to the Truman Medical Center Charitable Foundation:
TMC and the Kansas City Chiefs are working together to provide wellness education and promote healthier living for the people of Kansas City. Both organizations play an active and important role in the vitality of the city and share a common desire to improve the health status of the urban core.
Hat tip to Santchi for providing great information on this event and congratulations to all the winners! You can follow her on twitter at @KCChiefs_Rachel and follow the Kansas City Chiefs at @KCChiefs. For a photo gallery of prior events, check out the 101 Awards official website and click here.
Photo credit to the 101 Awards
