This year's 32 nominees for the fourth annual Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award have been finalized, the NFL announced on Tuesday. Each NFL team nominated one of its players for the award, which recognizes players around the league who exemplify outstanding sportsmanship on the field.
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 award was created in 2014 in honor of the late founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pro Football Hall of Famer member Art Rooney, Sr. The winner of the award is determined by a vote of current NFL players. A panel of former players -- Warrick Dunn, Curtis Martin, Karl Mecklenburg and Leonard Wheeler -- will select eight finalists, with four coming from each of the two conferences.
The eight finalists will be listed on the Pro Bowl ballot under the NFL Sportsmanship Award category when players vote on Friday, Dec. 15. 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.
Past recipients of the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award are Frank Gore of the Indianapolis Colts (2016), Charles Woodson of the Oakland Raiders (2015) and Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals (2014).
The winner selected by the vote of the players will be announced during the nationally televised NFL Honors show on Saturday, Feb. 3 on NBC, the night before Super Bowl LII. 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.
Each of the 32 teams' nominees are listed below.
» CB Patrick Peterson, Arizona Cardinals
» S Ricardo Allen, Atlanta Falcons
» QB Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
» LB Lorenzo Alexander, Buffalo Bills
» LB Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers
» RB Benny Cunningham, Chicago Bears
» DE Carlos Dunlap, Cincinnati Bengals
» T Joe Thomas, Cleveland Browns
» C Travis Frederick, Dallas Cowboys
» LB Von Miller, Denver Broncos
» DT Haloti Ngata, Detroit Lions
» S Morgan Burnett, Green Bay Packers
» P Shane Lechler, Houston Texans
» WR T.Y. Hilton, Indianapolis Colts
» LB Paul Posluszny, Jacksonville Jaguars
» QB Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs
» TE Antonio Gates, Los Angeles Chargers
» G Rodger Saffold, Los Angeles Rams
» G Jermon Bushrod, Miami Dolphins
» DE Brian Robison, Minnesota Vikings
» WR Matthew Slater, New England Patriots
» QB Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
» T Justin Pugh, New York Giants
» QB Josh McCown, New York Jets
» QB Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders
» TE Brent Celek, Philadelphia Eagles
» DE Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh Steelers
» T Joe Staley, San Francisco 49ers
» DE Cliff Avril, Seattle Seahawks
» DT Gerald McCoy, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
» QB Marcus Mariota, Tennessee Titans
» TE Vernon Davis, Washington Redskins
