Brent Celek nominated for Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award
Philadelphia Eagles veteran Brent Celek has been nominated for the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.
Just like every other season, the NFL likes to honor the good guys. Each year, all 32 NFL teams submit a single nominee for the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award. Although only one player wins the award, a nomination alone speaks volumes about what the team thinks about their nominee. The Philadelphia Eagles have nominated veteran tight end, Brent Celek to represent the organization.
Celek is a former fifth-round draft pick from Cincinnati. He has been with the Eagles throughout his entire professional career, which started in 2007. Although Celek has not been a production machine for quite some time now, his leadership still leaves an impact. So much in fact that it got him a three-year extension last season. His best days may be behind him, but his impact is still a major factor.
The Art Rooney Award:
The Art Rooney Sportsmanship award has been around since 2014. It was created to honor the Hall of Fame inducted founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Art Rooney. The winner is determined by a voting system involving current NFL players. A panel of former players will then select eight finalists. The winner will be announced on the NFL Honors show in February. The NFL has released the details on the winning prize:
"He will receive a $25,000 donation from the NFL Foundation to a charity of his choice. He will also receive a trophy that represents the important role that sportsmanship plays in the game and how NFL players that demonstrate integrity and honor on the field serve as role models for players at all levels."
The Eagles have had their fair share of non-football related awards this season. Celek will be the next guy from the team who will be recognized for having an outstanding attitude on and off the field. If Celek wins, he joins some popular company with past winners such as Frank Gore, Charles Woodson and Larry Fitzgerald.
Next: 3 reasons why the Eagles can replicate success this week
There are plenty of great nominees up for the award. But with his many years in the league, we could all assume that Celek has a reasonable shot. Even if he doesn’t take home the award, Celek is still a winner in Philly’s eyes. He has definitely become a fan favorite in his many years with the team.