The George Halas Award is given by the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) to a National Football League (NFL) player, coach or staff member who overcomes the most adversity to succeed.
The award is named for George Halas, a charter member (1963) of the Pro Football Hall of Fame who was associated with the Chicago Bears and NFL from their inception in 1920 until his death in 1983 as an owner, manager, player and promoter.
Halas represented the Bears, then known as the Decatur Staleys, at the Sept. 17, 1920 organizational meeting of the American Football Association in Canton, Ohio. One year later, the AFA became known as the National Football League.
Halas’ teams won six NFL titles in his 40 seasons as the Bears’ coach. His 318 regular-season wins and 324 total victories were long-standing NFL records until broken by Don Shula in 1993.
In 1970, the George Halas Award went to Gale Sayers for his comeback from knee surgery to lead the NFL in rushing in 1969. Sayers gave an emotional speech that was memorialized in the film Brian's Song. Said Sayers, "You flatter me by giving me this award, but I’ll tell you here and now that I accept it for Brian Piccolo. Brian Piccolo is the man of courage who should receive the George S. Halas Award. I accept it tonight, but I’ll present it to Brian tomorrow. I love Brian Piccolo. And I’d like all of you to love him, too. And tonight, when you hit your knees, ask God to love him, too."
Other notable winners of the George Halas Award include Joe Namath, Steeler running back Rocky Bleier, Hall of Fame cornerback Jimmy Johnson, New York Giant cancer survivor Karl Nelson, Hall of Famers Dan Hampton and Joe Montana, Denver Broncos guard Mark Schlereth, former N.Y. Giant Kerry Collins, San Francisco 49ers Garrison Hearst and Bryant Young, coach and former linebacker Sam Mills, Dolphins running back Robert Edwards, linebacker Mark Fields, former head coach Tony Dungy, former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and former Saints safety and ALS advocate Steve Gleason."Steve Gleason selected as PFWA’s 2015 George Halas award winner" , New Orleans Saints, June 15, 2015.
Winners
+ George Halas Award winnersYearWinnerTeam1969Joe NamathNew York Jets1970Gale SayersChicago Bears1971Tom DempseyNew Orleans Saints1972Jimmy JohnsonSan Francisco 49ers1973Mike TilemanAtlanta Falcons1974Dick ButkusChicago Bears1975Rocky BleierPittsburgh Steelers1976Billy KilmerWashington Redskins1977Tom DeLeoneCleveland Browns1978Pat FischerWashington Redskins1979Bert JonesBaltimore Colts1980Roger StaubachDallas Cowboys1981Rolf BenirschkeSan Diego Chargers1982Joe KleckoNew York Jets1983Eddie Lee IveryGreen Bay Packers1984Ted HendricksLos Angeles Raiders1985John StallworthPittsburgh Steelers1986Gary JeterLos Angeles Rams1987William AndrewsAtlanta Falcons1988Joe MontanaSan Francisco 49ers1989Karl NelsonNew York Giants1990Tim KrumrieCincinnati Bengals1991Dan HamptonChicago Bears1992Mike UtleyDetroit Lions1993Mark BavaroNew York Giants1994Joe MontanaKansas City Chiefs1995Dan MarinoMiami Dolphins1996Larry BrownOakland Raiders1997Jim HarbaughIndianapolis Colts1998Mark SchlerethDenver Broncos1999Dan ReevesAtlanta Falcons2000Bryant YoungSan Francisco 49ers2001Kerry CollinsNew York Giants2002Garrison HearstSan Francisco 49ers2003Robert EdwardsMiami Dolphins2004Sam MillsCarolina Panthers2005Mark FieldsCarolina Panthers2006Tony DungyIndianapolis Colts2007Drew BreesNew Orleans Saints2008Kevin EverettBuffalo Bills2009Matt BryantTampa Bay Buccaneers2010Mike ZimmerCincinnati Bengals2011Mike HeimerdingerTennessee Titans2012Robert KraftNew England Patriots2013Chuck PaganoIndianapolis Colts2014O. J. BriganceBaltimore Ravens2015Steve GleasonNew Orleans Saints2016Eric BerryKansas City Chiefs2017David QuessenberryHouston Texans2018Marquise GoodwinSan Francisco 49ers2019Ryan ShazierPittsburgh Steelers2020Travis FrederickDallas Cowboys2021Alex SmithWashington Football Team2022Ron RiveraWashington Commanders2023Damar HamlinBuffalo Bills2024John Metchie IIIHouston Texans2025Joe BurrowCincinnati Bengals2026Brian FloresMinnesota Vikings
See also List of National Football League awards
References
External links