2The top performers in the NFL from the 2019 season gathered in Kansas City on Saturday night to be honored at the 50th annual 101 Awards Banquet.
Among the players honored were Kansas City Chiefs DB Tyrann Mathieu and WR Mecole Hardman. Both players received respective end of season awards as voted by their peers. Mathieu received the Derrick Thomas MVP award and Hardman received The Mack Lee Hill award for rookie of the year. Each player had a chance to speak and reflect on the award and their Super Bowl-winning season.
Hardman was the first man up, and he was a little surprised that he had to speak to the crowd.
“I didn’t know I had to speak today,” Hardman began. “I just want to thank Mr. Hunt and the staff he put together [for giving] me a chance to actually play with the Chiefs. It’s been a great year like [Clark Hunt] said, not even a full year to win the Super Bowl, so you really can’t write it any better. And then playing with guys like Tyrann [Mathieu] and learning from him. [Mathieu] took me under his wing, [and made] my game elevate to the next level. Winning this award is a great honor because of the guys that won it before me. [To be] in that same room with those guys like Tyreek [Hill]. I think Derrick Johnson won this award. To be mentioned with those guys is a great honor. I want to thank all of y’all for being here, I’m just very thankful to have this award. Thank you all for having me on this team. And hopefully, we can win [the Super Bowl] again next year — maybe two years — two Super Bowls. It’s been a great year, man. I love everybody on this team, my teammates and the staff. Mr. Hunt has done a great job putting an organization together that is about family and everybody love’s one another. I [wouldn’t] be happy to be part of another team. I hope that I can be here for my whole career.”
Clark Hunt enjoyed the part of his speech about adding two more Lombardi Trophies to the case and Hardman staying in Kansas City for the duration of his career. Mathieu kicked his speech off by saying thanks to everyone who helped him achieve this award.
“I’m truly honored to be here tonight,” Mathieu said. “I just want to start out by thanking God for his grace in my life and throughout my life. I want to thank the Hunt family for bringing me to Kansas City, not only allowing me to represent them on the football field but also in the community, I’m truly grateful for that. I want to thank my coaches as well. [I want to thank] Coach [Andy] Reid for seeing me, believing in me as a leader, a guy who could push this team forward. I want to personally thank my coaches who I spent probably the most time with: Spags [Steve Spagnuolo], [Dave] Merritt, [Brendan] Daly, [Matt] House, [Sam] Madison [and] even Big T [Dave Toub]. Those guys give me a lot of information, allow me to go out there, play as fast as I can and as fearless as I can and every now and then, tap my head. I think those guys have really helped me out a lot and have really [taken] my game to the next level.”
Later, Mathieu would thank the committee of 101 for putting on this event. He’d also thank his fiancee for sticking by his side. He continued his speech, taking us through his decision to come to Kansas City and what it means to be a leader.
”I think one of the bigger reasons I came to Kansas City was [because] I can obviously see the tradition within this organization, but also with the fan base,” said Matheiu. “It reminds me a lot of where I’m from, Louisiana, [and] how much they used to rally around their team. To be a part of that is always special. You don’t always feel that at this level, so I’m grateful for that. . . I think any time you can be recognized as a team MVP, I think it says little about myself, but really more about the people I’m surrounded by. I think a lot of those guys inspire me really as much as I inspire them. I think those guys give me the confidence that I need to do my job at a high level. I think a lot those guys, they’ll follow me anywhere. I’m trying my best to lead them in the right direction. So I take great pride in it.”
From there, Mathieu took a look back at the season.
“I really reflect on the season, and I see a team that had great expectations coming into the season,” Mathieu said. “Like Mitch [Holthus] said, we had some adversity. The quarterback got hurt. Chris Jones wasn’t playing. Frank Clark was banged up. [There was] even a stretch in there where I wasn’t making real impact plays. We were able to kind of overcome that, and fight through that to get to the playoffs. To be down multiple possessions I think the only way you can come back is to believe in your teammates, to believe in your coaches and then have a certain foundation that you can really rely on. I think all of those things were built up through training camp and through the spring. So I’m grateful for the men that surround me, not even just the men, but the women as well. I think we have a great organization and we have a great staff. I think my job is much easier than people think. It’s not that hard at all [to] be yourself, showing up to work and doing something you love to do. . . I look forward to bringing another Lamar Hunt Trophy and another Lombardi Trophy as well. I know Clark [Hunt] will enjoy that. We’ll enjoy this victory but I know the guys in our locker room will want to get back to work and hopefully do it again. I accept this award on behalf of all my teammates. Without those guys, I’m virtually nothing.”
You can watch the full video with speeches from Mitch Holthus and Clark Hunt on the Chiefs’ Facebook page. Other 101 Award winners include 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan for NFC Coach of the Year, Ravens HC John Harbaugh for AFC Coach of the Year, Ravens QB Lamar Jackson for AFC Offensive Player of the Year, Patriots CB Stephon Gilmore for AFC Defensive Player of the Year, Saints WR Michael Thomas for NFC Offensive Player of the Year and Cardinals LB Chandler Jones for NFC Defensive Player of the Year. Late Packers legend Bart Starr received the Lamar Hunt Award for Professional Football. You can watch the press conferences from some of those players and coaches here.