Tag: award

Broncos nominate Justin Simmons for 2019 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award

The Broncos have nominated safety Justin Simmons for the 2019 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award.

The Denver Broncos have nominated safety Justin Simmons for the 2019 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award, the team announced Thursday. The award “recognizes a player for his outstanding leadership both on the field and in the community,” the team said in a statement.

Each of the league’s 32 teams nominates a player for the award each year and the nominees receive a donation up to $50,000 to the charity of their choice. The winner will be announced during “NFL Honors” on the eve of Super Bowl LIV (Feb. 1) on Fox. The winner will receive a $250,000 donation to the charity of his choice.

Simmons has logged over 3,500 minutes of volunteer work this year with 20 different local organizations including Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver, Children’s Hospital Colorado and the Denver Rescue Mission. Simmons won the team’s Community Ambassador Award in 2017 and 2018.

Simmons will wear a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal in the team’s final three games of the season.

Denver’s most recent nominees for the award were outside linebacker Von Miller (2018) and cornerback Chris Harris Jr. (2017). John Elway is the only Broncos player who has won the award, back in 1992.

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Saints nominate Terron Armstead for Walter Payton Man of the Year Award

The New Orleans Saints nominated LT Terron Armstead for the 2019 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, recognizing his talent and character.

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The New Orleans Saints announced Thursday that they named left tackle Terron Armstead their 2019 Man of the Year, nominating him for the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. This recognition is reserved for players nominated by their teams after showing exemplary on-field performance and off-field strength of character. Previous Saints nominees include Drew Brees, Cameron Jordan, and Benjamin Watson.

It’s a big honor for the man protecting New Orleans’ blind side. Armstead has battled through a painful high-ankle sprain in recent weeks, missing two games before he was able to gut through the injury in Sunday’s game with the San Francisco 49ers. And his impact is palpable — without Armstead in the lineup, Brees has logged an average time to throw of just 2.49 seconds. But with Armstead protecting him, Brees has been able to hold onto the ball for 2.71 seconds, which means a world of difference.

In addition to his high level of play, Armstead has been a leader in charitable efforts in the New Orleans community. He recently gifted several dozen bicycles to schoolchildren at the DePaul Community Center and has often used his weekly off-day to visit local schools and children’s hospitals. He’s also participated in his teammates’ youth football camps during the offseason, doing his part to support their own efforts at community outreach.

It’s great to see Armstead earn this recognition, and it’s a strong reminder of just how much good work NFL players are doing when they aren’t battling each other during games. The Saints know they have a great leader in Armstead, and he’s someone they clearly value highly within the organization.

The full list of nominees from around the NFL is embedded below, but you can also find it at this link. The award’s winner will be announced during the week leading up to Super Bowl LIV.

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Broncos DB Kareem Jackson named AFC Defensive Player of the Week

Broncos safety Kareem Jackson has been named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week by NFL.com.

Denver Broncos safety Kareem Jackson has been named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week, the NFL announced Wednesday. Jackson had a standout performance in Denver’s 38-24 win over the Houston Texans on Sunday.

Facing the team he spent the first nine years of his career with, Jackson totaled 11 tackles, one interception and three pass breakouts. He also returned a fumble 70 yards for a touchdown. He became the first defender with at least 10 tackles, a fumble returned for a score and an interception in the same game since former Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher in 2011.

On the year, Jackson has totaled 69 tackles, eight pass breakups, two interceptions and one forced fumble. His 11 tackles on Sunday tied a career high.

This marks the first time a Broncos defender has taken home a conference award since outside linebacker Von Miller won in Week 11 last season. Jackson is the 34th Denver defender to take home the award since 1984.

Broncos QB Drew Lock nominated for Rookie of the Week award

Broncos quarterback Drew Lock has been nominated for NFL.com’s Rookie of the Week award after his big game in Week 14.

After leading the Broncos to a 38-24 win over the Texans in Week 14, quarterback Drew Lock has been nominated for the Rookie of the Week award on NFL.com.

Lock completed 81.5 percent of his passes in the win for 309 yards with three touchdown passes against one interception, good for a 136.0 passer rating. He is the first QB in the Super Bowl era to throw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns in his first start on the road.

Lock’s competition for the award is Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown (153 yards, two touchdowns), Steelers receiver/returner Diontae Johnson (145 combined yards, two touchdowns), Bills running back Devin Singletary (118 total yards) and Giants receiver Darius Slayton (154 yards, two touchdowns).

Fans have often shown a bias toward QBs in the voting this season — a QB has won seven of the last 13 awards — so Lock seems to have a good chance of taking home the award after his strong showing in Week 14.

Fans can vote for the award now through Thursday on NFL.com/Rookies.

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Michael Thomas named NFC Offensive Player of the Month for November

New Orleans Saints WR Michael Thomas was named Offensive Player of the Month for November, along with Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson.

Big-time production warrants big-time recognition, and that’s what New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas earned after setting the league on fire in November. The NFL named Thomas as the NFC Offensive Player of the Month after posting up 37 receptions (on targets) and 415 receiving yards in the Saints’ four games, catching an otherworldly 86% of his 43 targets from quarterback Drew Brees. On the year so far, he leads the entire NFL in both receptions (11) and receiving yards (1,290).

He’s in rare company. The AFC Offensive Player of the Month is Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, a sensational playmaker who’s hounding defenses through the air as well as on the ground. And Thomas will play against his NFC Defensive Player of the Month counterpart on Sunday in San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner.

Here’s the total listing of November’s Players of the Month, by position group:

  • NFC Offense: WR Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints
  • NFC Defense: LB Fred Warner, San Francisco 49ers
  • NFC Special Teams: KR Cordarrelle Patterson, Chicago Bears
  • AFC Offense: QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
  • D: LB T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers
  • AFC Special Teams: K Harrison Butker, Kansas City Chiefs

Thomas joins teammate Thomas Morstead as two Saints players to be recognized here this season; the Saints’ veteran punter was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for September, the first such award of his long NFL career. The leadership and effectiveness of players like Thomas and Morstead have been a huge part of the Saints’ success this season, and they’ll continue to be foundational pieces for the rest of the team to build upon as they work to reach and win Super Bowl LIV.

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Cameron Jordan’s four-sack Thanksgiving earns NFC Defensive Player of the Week

New Orleans Saints DE Cameron Jordan’s four-sack game against the Atlanta Falcons on Thanksgiving earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week.

New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan had one of the biggest games of his career on Thanksgiving against the Atlanta Falcons, and that prime-time performance earned him recognition as the NFC Defensive Player of the Week. It’s just the second time he’s won this award in his NFL career, having previously done so in Week 6 of the 2017 season (when he sacked Detroit Lions passer Matthew Stafford twice, and intercepted his own deflected pass for a touchdown catch).

Jordan sacked Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan four times on the night (a personal-best single-game mark) and closed out the game with his fourth sack on Atlanta’s final play, leading the Saints to a 26-18 victory and clinching New Orleans’ third consecutive NFC South title.

The Saints’ defensive captain now ranks second in team history for sacks (85), and second in the NFL (13.5), with four games left to play. His 18 sacks of Ryan are the most of any other player the Falcons quarterback has faced.

But don’t expect Jordan to celebrate this accomplishment for too long. He’s dialed in on his next opponent (the 10-2 San Francisco 49ers) and won’t divulge whether he shares the opinion of his teammates, that 20 sacks is within reach. Jordan told Mike Triplett of ESPN that, “I’ve never said anything other than I want a Super Bowl. I don’t care about personal accolades. I’m gunning for everything and plus some. As long as my D-line is playing good and my defense is playing better, I couldn’t care less about myself.”

That said, Jordan isn’t ruling out the possibility of becoming a 20-sack man. “If it happens, then more the merrier this offseason,” he added.

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Matthew Stafford is Lions nominee for 2019 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award

Detroit Lions’ quarterback Matthew Stafford is the team’s nomination for the 2019 NFL’s Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.

Detroit Lions’ quarterback Matthew Stafford is the team’s nomination for the 2019 NFL’s Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.

Each of the NFL’s 32 franchises nominates a player who exemplifies “outstanding sportsmanship on the field” and previous Lions’ nominees include Don Muhlbach, Haloti Ngata, Glover Quin, and Calvin Johnson.

Created in 2014, this Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award has recognized five winners over that time — Larry Fitzgerald, Charles Woodson, Frank Gore, Luke Kuechly and Drew Brees.

According to a press release from the NFL:

The winner of the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award is determined by a vote of current NFL players. From the eight finalists, each team’s players will submit a consensus vote of their choice for the winner. As in Pro Bowl voting, a team cannot vote for its own player.

The award is presented each year to an NFL player who best demonstrates the qualities of on-field sportsmanship, including fair play, respect for the game and opponents, and integrity in competition.

The NFL will host an NFL Honors show on Saturday, February 1 — the evening before Super Bowl LIV — where the winner will be announced. This ceremony will be televised on FOX.

This year’s nominees are listed below:

Marshon Lattimore wins award for big hit on Julio Jones

New Orleans Saints CB Marshon Lattimore broke up a pass to Atlanta Falcons WR Julio Jones, earning recognition for his textbook technique.

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New Orleans Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore came through in a big spot during his team’s Week 10 game with the Atlanta Falcons, and his textbook-perfect technique earned recognition from the NFL.

When the Falcons attempted to run a receiver screen through wide receiver Julio Jones — often named among the best in the game — Lattimore diagnosed the play quickly and correctly, pivoting towards Jones and tackling him to the ground. He executed the tackle just like it’s taught, and it turned into a big play for the Saints defense.

So Lattimore was highlighted for Week 10’s NFL Way To Play award, which puts a focus on correct football techniques and clean plays. As part of winning this award, Lattimore will receive a $2,500 donation to a high school program of his choice and a letter of congratulations from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

Lattimore later exited this game with a hamstring injury, which has put his availability into question on a week-to-week basis. He sat out the Saints’ practice on Wednesday and may miss their upcoming game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but that isn’t official yet. Whenever he does make his return to the starting lineup, the Saints know they will have a player who takes the field at an important position with some of the cleanest technique in the game.

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UT News: November 12, 2019

UT News: November 12, 2019

November is one of the greatest months for college sports, especially with football on the weekends and basketball during the week to keep the fans occupied. Last night, the Lady Vols basketball team brought joy to the folks on Rocky Top with an authoritative win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Tonight, the men’s team has a chance to match the women with a victory of their own.

Men’s basketball play tonight

Tennessee men’s basketball faces the Murray State Racers tonight in the second game of their season-opening homestand at Thompson-Boling Arena. The Volunteers will look to extend the nation’s longest active home win streak against their foes from Kentucky.

This is the fourth time the two teams have met, with their last tangle coming in 2006. The Vols are currently a perfect 3-0 against the Racers in a series that was first played back in 1945 in Knoxville but did not resume until 2005 in Nashville.

Tipoff is at 9 p.m. ET and can be watched on SEC Network and online through WatchESPN, and can be heard on local Vol Network affiliates.

NEXT: Rick Barnes meets with the media

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