By Lydia Jane Allison
Winner to be revealed as part of NFL Honors before Super Bowl LVIII
NEW YORK — Nov. 22, 2023 — The 32 player nominees for the ninth 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.
“Sportsmanship is the core of the game, the vanguard of public confidence, the keeper of game integrity,” said Troy Vincent, NFL executive vice president of football operations. “These Rooney Sportsmanship Award nominees exemplify the spirit of fair play and the values of respect, integrity, commitment to team and resiliency 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.
2023 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award Nominees
| Team | Player | Team | Player | |
| Arizona Cardinals | Budda Baker | Las Vegas Raiders | Maxx Crosby | |
| Atlanta Falcons | Jake Matthews | Los Angeles Chargers | Khalil Mack | |
| Baltimore Ravens | Kevin Zeitler | Los Angeles Rams | Jordan Fuller | |
| Buffalo Bills | Mitch Morse | Miami Dolphins | Durham Smythe | |
| Carolina Panthers | Adam Thielen | Minnesota Vikings | Danielle Hunter | |
| Chicago Bears | T.J. Edwards | New England Patriots | David Andrews | |
| Cincinnati Bengals | Tyler Boyd | New Orleans Saints | Erik McCoy | |
| Cleveland Browns | Joel Bitonio | New York Giants | Bobby Okereke | |
| Dallas Cowboys | Dak Prescott | New York Jets | C.J. Mosley | |
| Denver Broncos | Lloyd Cushenberry III | Philadelphia Eagles | Fletcher Cox | |
| Detroit Lions | Taylor Decker | Pittsburgh Steelers | Larry Ogunjobi | |
| Green Bay Packers | Aaron Jones | San Francisco 49ers | Kyle Juszczyk | |
| Houston Texans | Robert Woods | Seattle Seahawks | Bobby Wagner | |
| Indianapolis Colts | DeForest Buckner | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Chris Godwin | |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | Foyesade Oluokun | Tennessee Titans | Morgan Cox | |
| Kansas City Chiefs | Trent McDuffie | Washington Commanders | Logan Thomas |
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 |
| 2022 | DT Calais Campbell | Baltimore Ravens |
| 2021 | WR Matthew Slater | New England Patriots |
| 2020 | QB Teddy Bridgewater | Carolina Panthers |
| 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 | Oakland Raiders |
| 2014 | WR Larry Fitzgerald | Arizona Cardinals |
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