The 32 player nominees for the eighth annual Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award have been finalized, the NFL announced today. Each NFL team nominated one of its players for the award, which recognizes players around the league who exemplify outstanding sportsmanship on the field.
Created in 2014, the award honors the late founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pro Football Hall of Famer Art Rooney Sr.
A panel of former players from the NFL Legends Community -- Warrick Dunn, 2014 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award recipient Larry Fitzgerald, Pro Football Hall of Famer Curtis Martin and Leonard Wheeler -- will select eight finalists (four in the AFC and four in the NFC) from the 32 nominees. The eight finalists will be listed on the Pro Bowl ballot under the NFL Sportsmanship Award category when players vote in December.
"These Rooney Sportsmanship Award nominees exemplify the fiercest competition combined with the excellence of sportsmanship," said Troy Vincent, EVP of Football Operations of the NFL. "It reflects the very values of respect, resilience, and fairness that inspire both teammates and opponents to be the best in the world."
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.
2022 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Nominees
| Team | Player |
|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals | Budda Baker |
| Atlanta Falcons | Grady Jarrett |
| Baltimore Ravens | Calais Campbell |
| Buffalo Bills | Von Miller |
| Carolina Panthers | Johnny Hekker |
| Chicago Bears | DeAndre Houston-Carson |
| Cincinnati Bengals | B.J. Hill |
| Cleveland Browns | Nick Chubb |
| Dallas Cowboys | Dak Prescott |
| Denver Broncos | Pat Surtain II |
| Detroit Lions | Kalif Raymond |
| Green Bay Packers | Aaron Jones |
| Houston Texans | Jerry Hughes |
| Indianapolis Colts | DeForest Buckner |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | Christian Kirk |
| Kansas City Chiefs | Nick Bolton |
| Las Vegas Raiders | Maxx Crosby |
| Los Angeles Chargers | Austin Ekeler |
| Los Angeles Rams | Cooper Kupp |
| Miami Dolphins | Alec Ingold |
| Minnesota Vikings | Dalvin Cook |
| New England Patriots | David Andrews |
| New Orleans Saints | Ryan Ramczyk |
| New York Giants | Daniel Jones |
| New York Jets | Duane Brown |
| Philadelphia Eagles | Lane Johnson |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | Alex Highsmith |
| San Francisco 49ers | Kyle Juszczyk |
| Seattle Seahawks | Will Dissly |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Lavonte David |
| Tennessee Titans | Derrick Henry |
| Washington Commanders | Terry McLaurin |
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 winner will be announced as part of NFL Honors. He will receive a $25,000 donation from the NFL Foundation to a charity of his choice.
Previous Recipients of the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award
| Year | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | WR Matthew Slater | New England Patriots |
| 2020 | QB Teddy Bridgewater | Carolina Panthers |
| 2019 | RB Adrian Peterson | Washington Commanders |
| 2018 | QB Drew Brees | New Orleans Saints |
| 2017 | LB Luke Kuechly | Carolina Panthers |
| 2016 | RB Frank Gore | Indianapolis Colts |
| 2015 | CB Charles Woodson | Oakland Raiders |
| 2014 | WR Larry Fitzgerald | Arizona Cardinals |
