Saints' Tyrann Mathieu Nominated for Prestigious NFL Award

Tyrann Mathieu is this year's Saints nominee for the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.

John Hendrix | Nov 25, 2024

Aug 10, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New Orleans Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu (32) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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New Orleans Saints

The NFL announced the 32 nominees for the annual Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award, and Tyrann Mathieu is the Saints' nominee for the prestigious award. Erik McCoy was last year's nominee from New Orleans.

This award, which was created in 2014, recognizes individuals around the NFL who exemplify outstanding sportsmanship. From this point, a panel of four former players (Warrick Dunn, Larry Fitzgerald, Curtis Martin and Leonard Wheeler) will select eight finalists from each conference. If Mathieu makes the cut, they'll be listed on the Pro Bowl ballot when players vote in December.

Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award Winners

Drew Brees was a past winner of the award

Drew Brees after the NFL football game between the New Orleans Saints and the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018. / SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Content Services, LLC

2023 - Bobby Wagner, Seahawks
2022 - Calais Campbell, Ravens
2021 - Matthew Slater, Patriots
2020 - Teddy Bridgewater, Panthers
2019 - Adrian Peterson, Washington Football Team
2018 - Drew Brees, Saints
2017 - Luke Kuechly, Panthers
2016 - Frank Gore, Colts
2015 - Charles Woodson, Raiders
2014 - Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals

"Sportsmanship is at the very the core of the game, the foundation of our values that are shared across all levels of the sport,” said Troy Vincent, NFL executive vice president of football operations. “These Rooney Sportsmanship Award nominees demonstrate to the world how the game is played with respect and integrity at the highest level of competition." 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.

Published Nov 25, 2024

JOHN HENDRIX

I officially started covering the New Orleans Saints & other NFL topics in 2011. My work has been featured on various outlets over the years. I worked closely with Skyhorse Publishing in Fall 2018 to update the book, Tales From the New Orleans Saints Sidelines, which filled in all Saints material from the 2013-2017 seasons. Prior to joining Saints News Network, I served as the Managing Editor of SB Nation's Canal Street Chronicles for 3.5 years, and before that with FanSided's Who Dat Dish as the Managing Editor for several years. I have also had experiences of being a freelance Saints reporter for The Sun Herald in Biloxi, MS and a contributing writer for WDSU, a local NBC TV station in New Orleans. I have appeared on a vast amount of TV and Radio shows, both nationally and locally. For tips, comments, or suggestions, please contact me at johnhendrix@saintsnews.net