On January 22nd, it was announced that the inaugural NFL Sportsmanship Award would be named after the late Art Rooney, Sr.
The @nfl's annual Art Rooney Award will recognize a player for on-field sportsmanship. READ: http://t.co/DDGU8UfEBI pic.twitter.com/WtnpoagDye
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) January 22, 2015
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stated, “Art Rooney is an iconic figure in NFL history. It is appropriate that we honor his legacy in this way and recognize NFL players for one of the important values that he represented so well.”
Growing up, each of us was constantly told the importance of sportsmanship. Coaches would say winning is important, but if you do so without any class, it doesn’t mean much. Through various awards and all-star games, we recognize individual’s terrific on-field performance. Cal Ripken Jr. puts this idea perfectly when he claimed “Sometimes I think sportsmanship is a little bit forgotten in place of the individual attention.” On SportsCenter, you hear about a guy hitting a game-winning 3, but not necessarily a player’s charitable work. With this said, it is what these guys do off the field, which can set them apart from the pack.
I applaud the NFL for showing this commitment to a concept that too often gets overlooked. The voting for the Art Rooney Award will be compiled from players, before a winner is announced at the NFL Honors on Saturday, January 31. Along with all of the accolades one may receive in an NFL career, sportsmanship helps them serve as role models. No one has served as a role model better that Art Rooney, also known as “The Chief,” who was loved by everyone from his players to the Steelers’ faithful. This year, each of the 32 NFL teams nominated one player, before the NFL Legends Community narrowed it down to eight finalists. The finalists are comprised of: Thomas Davis, Larry Fitzgerald, Chad Greenway, Calvin Johnson, Troy Polamalu, Matthew Slater, DeMarcus Ware, and Alex Smith. While all of these players are more than deserving for this award, the player I will break down deeper is Alex Smith.
In his second year with the Kansas City Chiefs, Alex Smith continued to get critiqued for his conservative play. First off, I have to say most of this is unnecessary, as he has turned around a team that was coming off a 2 win season when he arrived. The 10-year veteran has more than his fair share of critics since being the first overall selection in the 2005 NFL Draft, but his resilience is certainly special. Along with this perseverance has been a player that recognizes the stage he has and utilizes this power to help out those in need. On a national stage you might not always hear about Smith’s charitable actions, but they are certainly there. Back when he was with the San Francisco 49ers, Smith started a non-profit that raised nearly a million dollars for scholarships and grants, giving disadvantaged teens a chance to attend college. Yes, he hasn’t exactly panned out as a number one pick, but he has been a reliable player and an even better leader.
The night before Super Bowl XLIX, the winner of the Art Rooney Sr. Sportsmanship winner will be announced. Each candidate is deserving in their own way and it is always nice to recognize players for more than just on-the-field performance.
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