HENDERSON, NEV. – The 32 player nominees for the seventh 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, and the Las Vegas Raiders nominee is quarterback Derek Carr.
This season, Carr became the franchise's all-time leader in passing touchdowns, surpassing Hall of Famer and Raiders Legend Ken Stabler in just his seventh year in the NFL. Carr also etched himself as the 29th player in Raiders lore to record 100 career starts and has led his team to a 6-5 record while ranking fourth in completion percentage, fifth in pass interception percentage, seventh in passer rating and is one of four quarterbacks in 2020 to tally six games with a completion percentage of at least 70 percent and a passer rating over 100.
Each team's player is nominated by the organization's Director of Public/Media Relations. This marks the fifth straight year that Carr has been nominated for the award, which was won by Charles Woodson in 2015.
The award was created in 2014 in honor of 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, Pro Football Hall of Famer Curtis Martin, Karl Mecklenburg 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 on Friday, December 18.
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 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.
Past recipients of the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award:
| Year | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | RB Adrian Peterson | Washington Football Team |
| 2018 | QB Drew Brees | New Orleans Saints |
| 2017 | LB Luke Kuechly | Carolina Panthers |
| 2016 | RB Frank Gore | Indianapolis Colts |
| 2015 | CB Charles Woodson | Las Vegas Raiders |
| 2014 | WR Larry Fitzgerald | Arizona Cardinals |
