Steelers nominate Alex Highsmith for Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award
PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) - The Steelers nominated Alex Highsmith for the eighth annual Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.
The award recognizes players around the league who "exemplify outstanding sportsmanship on the field." It was created in 2014 to honor Art Rooney Sr., the late founder and owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and a Pro Football Hall of Famer.
"It's really an honor," said Highsmith on the Steelers' website. "I think it's important. To be able to play the game I love for a living is amazing. To be able to go out there and do what I love, it's important to play the right way. It shows a lot to those who are watching, those younger than us, kids who aspire to be in the NFL. It shows them to play the right way."
A panel of former players including Warrick Dunn, Larry Fitzgerald, Pro Football Hall of Famer Curtis Martin and Leonard Wheeler will select eight finalists, four from each conference. The eight finalists will be listed on the Pro Bowl ballot under the NFL Sportsmanship Award category when players vote in December.
The winner will be announced at NFL Honors on Feb. 9.
"These Rooney Sportsmanship Award nominees exemplify the fiercest competition combined with the excellence of sportsmanship," said Troy Vincent, NFL executive vice president of football operations. "It reflects the very values of respect, resilience, and fairness that inspire both teammates and opponents to be the best in the world."
