ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has been named as one of eight finalists for the 2021 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.
The NFL announced the finalists Thursday morning, which feature four players from each conference. The other seven finalists include wide receiver Brandin Cooks, defensive back Jason McCourty, wide receiver Matthew Slater, linebacker Lavonte David, defensive end Cameron Jordan, fullback Kyle Juszczyk and wide receiver Adam Thielen.
Allen is a first-time nominee for the award.
The finalists were selected from 32 NFL club nominees. The final eight were then picked by a panel of former NFL players from the NFL Legends Community. The panel included Warrick Dunn, Larry Fitzgerald, Curtis Martin and Leonard Wheeler.
"I've had the honor of competing with many of the nominees on the list," Fitzgerald said. "More importantly, I've had the blessing of knowing and building relationships with several of them off the field. The legacy of Mr. Rooney lives on through these men. They represent teamwork, competitiveness, hard work, optimism, and integrity. Congratulations to each of the nominees for this year's Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award."
The Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award was created back in 2014 in honor of Pro Football Hall of Famer Art Rooney, Sr. who was the late founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The winner of the award is determined by a vote of current NFL players.