Matthew Slater Named Finalist For Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award
FOXBORO (CBS) -- When you think of sportsmanship, a lot of players on the Patriots likely come to mind. But the first is most likely longtime special teams captain Matthew Slater, who epitomizes the term.
So it should come as no surprise that Slater was named one of eight finalists for the 2021 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award, the NFL announced Thursday. The award is given out 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."
That certainly sounds like Matthew Slater to a tee. He is a finalist for the award for the third consecutive year and the fourth time overall in his career.
Here are the eight finalists for this year's Rooney Award, with four players from each conference:
Josh Allen, Bills
Brandin Cooks, Texans
Jason McCourty, Dolphins
Matthew Slater, Patriots
Lavonte David, Buccaneers
Cameron Jordan, Saints
Kyle Juszczyk, 49ers
Adam Thielen, Vikings
A winner will be determined by a vote of current NFL players, with each team submitting a consensus vote of their choice. Much like Pro Bowl voting, a team cannot vote for its own player.
The award was created in 2014 in honor of Art Rooney Sr., the late founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and a Pro Football Hall of Famer.
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