The 2022-2023 NFL Honors have announced the winner for the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award for the season. After 32 players were nominated from their respective teams, the field was narrowed down to eight, but only one was given the rare accolade. Who won the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award, and what did they do during the season to earn the title?
Calais Campbell Wins Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award
The 2022-2023 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award has been given to Baltimore Ravens Calais Campbell.
According to the NFL, the award, created in 2014, is given each year to an NFL player who demonstrates the qualities of on-field sportsmanship, including fair play, respect for the game and opponents, and integrity in competition. The award honors and is named after the late founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pro Football Hall of Famer, Art Rooney, Sr.
MORE: 2023 NFL Honors Results — List of 2022-2023 NFL Awards Winners
As mentioned above, each team was allowed to nominate one player. Then, a panel from the NFL Legends Community — Warrick Dunn, Hall of Famer Curtis Martin, Leonard Wheeler, and 2014 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award recipient Larry Fitzgerald — selected the eight finalists (four in the AFC and four in the NFC) from the 32 nominees.
Those eight finalists were then listed on the Pro Bowl ballot under the NFL Sportsmanship Award category when players voted in December. Ultimately, it is the players who decided who deserved this award the most, which makes considering what it is given for.
The winner of the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award is given a $25,000 donation from the NFL Foundation to a charity of his choice.
Previous Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award Winners
Although the award is relatively new, there are still some big names included on the list of previous winners. Here is a look back at each winner since the award’s inception in 2014.
- 2021: WR Matthew Slater, New England
- 2020: QB Teddy Bridgewater, Carolina
- 2019: RB Adrian Peterson, Washington
- 2018: QB Drew Brees, New Orleans
- 2017: LB Luke Kuechly, Carolina
- 2016: RB Frank Gore, Indianapolis
- 2015: CB Charles Woodson, Oakland
- 2014: WR Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona