Bart Starr Award

Last updated

Athletes in Action/Bart Starr Award
Bart starr bw.jpg
Bart Starr, former quarterback of the Green Bay Packers and namesake of the award
League National Football League
Awarded forOutstanding character and leadership
NicknameBart Starr Award
Sponsored by Athletes in Action
History
First award Steve Largent, WR Tooltip Wide receiver, 1989
Most recent Minkah Fitzpatrick, S Tooltip Safety (gridiron football position), 2024
Website superbowlbreakfast.com/winners/

The Athletes in Action/Bart Starr Award is given annually to an American football player in the National Football League (NFL) who "best exemplifies outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field, and in the community". [1] The award is presented by Athletes in Action (AIA), a sports ministry associated with Cru (formerly known as Campus Crusade for Christ). It is awarded to the winner each year at the Super Bowl Breakfast, an NFL-sanctioned event that occurs the day before the Super Bowl. The nominee list is compiled by a group of individuals made-up of the Public Relations Directors of every NFL team, past award winners and AIA staff. The list is trimmed to 10 players, with the award winner chosen by AIA leadership and past award winners. [2] However, some past awardees have been chosen by fellow NFL players after the initial list is trimmed down to 10. [3] [4] The award was first given at the second Super Bowl Breakfast in 1989. Bart Starr, the Hall of Fame former quarterback of the Green Bay Packers, partnered with AIA to present the award that bears his name. Starr was selected by AIA because he was an "individual of impeccable character who has served his family and community faithfully through the years and is a role model for athletes and business people alike". [2] Starr presented every award until 2015, when a stroke prevented him from attending the Super Bowl Breakfast anymore. Since 2015, former NFL coach Tony Dungy and Starr's son have presented the award in his honor. [2]

Contents

Steve Largent, the Hall of Fame former wide receiver for the Seattle Seahawks, was the winner of the inaugural award in 1989. [5] Since then, 37 NFL players have received the award. This includes Eugene Robinson, a safety for the Atlanta Falcons, who returned the award after being arrested the night he received it for soliciting sex from an undercover police officer. [6] Historically, the award has only been given to one player a year, however in 1998, Irving Fryar and Brent Jones shared the award. [7] The award has been given to one set of brothers (Peyton and Eli Manning in 2015 and 2019 respectively) [3] and one father and son (Jackie and Matthew Slater in 1996 and 2017 respectively). [8] The most recent awardee was Minkah Fitzpatrick, safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers, in 2024. [9]

Award winners

Bart Starr Award winners
Year [a] ImagePlayerPositionTeamRefs
1989 Stevelargent cropped.jpg Steve Largent Wide receiver Seattle Seahawks [5]
1990 Anthony Munoz 2015 Cropped.jpg Anthony Muñoz Offensive tackle Cincinnati Bengals [10]
1991 Mike Singletary at 49ers Family Day 2009 1 Cropped.jpg Mike Singletary Linebacker Chicago Bears [11]
1992 Reggie White at the White House Crop.jpg Reggie White Defensive end Philadelphia Eagles [12]
1993 Gill Byrd c. 1987 Crop.jpg Gill Byrd Cornerback San Diego Chargers [13]
1994 Warren Moon Press Conference Oilers Tribute Week 4-45 Cropped.jpg Warren Moon Quarterback Houston Oilers [14]
1995 Cris Carter HOF Cropped.jpg Cris Carter Wide receiver Minnesota Vikings [15]
1996 Jackie Slater Offensive tackle St. Louis Rams [16]
1997 Darrell Green 49ers at Redskins 2019.jpg Darrell Green Cornerback Washington Redskins [17]
1998 Anniversary Climax with Rev. Dr. Irving Fryar, Sr. Cropped.jpg Irving Fryar Wide receiverPhiladelphia Eagles [7]
Brent Jones Tight end San Francisco 49ers
1999 Eugene Robinson [b] Safety Atlanta Falcons [6]
2000 Aeneas Williams Cropped.jpg Aeneas Williams Cornerback Arizona Cardinals [18]
2001 Bruce Matthews cropped.jpg Bruce Matthews Offensive tackle Tennessee Titans [19]
2002 Darren Woodson at 380th AEW Cropped.jpg Darren Woodson Safety Dallas Cowboys [20]
2003 Trent Dilfer 49ers Cropped.jpg Trent Dilfer QuarterbackSeattle Seahawks [21]
2004 Derrick Brooks with 2006 Pro Bowl MVP trophy Cropped.jpg Derrick Brooks Linebacker Tampa Bay Buccaneers [22]
2005 TroyVincentSr1.png Troy Vincent Cornerback Buffalo Bills [23]
2006 Curtis Martin at 2010 pep rally cropped.jpg Curtis Martin Running back New York Jets [24]
2007 John Lynch 2019 Cropped.jpg John Lynch Safety Denver Broncos [25]
2008 LaDainian Tomlinson 2017 closeup Cropped.jpg LaDainian Tomlinson Running backSan Diego Chargers [26]
2009 Warrick Dunn cropped2.jpg Warrick Dunn Running backTampa Bay Buccaneers [27]
2010 Kurt Warner 2022 Cropped.jpg Kurt Warner QuarterbackArizona Cardinals [28]
2011 Drew Brees 2015 Cropped.jpg Drew Brees Quarterback New Orleans Saints [29]
2012 London Fletcher Cropped.jpg London Fletcher LinebackerWashington Redskins [30]
2013 Jason Witten 2017 Cropped.jpg Jason Witten Tight endDallas Cowboys [31]
2014 Aaron Rodgers OCT2022 Cropped.jpg Aaron Rodgers Quarterback Green Bay Packers [32]
2015 Peyton Manning Cropped.jpg Peyton Manning QuarterbackDenver Broncos [33]
2016 Thomas Davis panthers Cropped.jpg Thomas Davis Sr. Linebacker Carolina Panthers [34]
2017 Matthew Slater cropped.jpg Matthew Slater Wide receiver New England Patriots [8]
2018 Benjamin Watson in 2015 Cropped.jpg Benjamin Watson Tight end Baltimore Ravens [35]
2019 Calais Campbell picture cropped.jpg Calais Campbell Defensive end Jacksonville Jaguars [36]
2020 Eli Manning 2019 cropped.jpg Eli Manning Quarterback New York Giants [3]
2021 WFT vs. Saints (51582765191) Cropped.jpg Demario Davis LinebackerNew Orleans Saints [4]
2022 Russell Wilson vs Vikings, November 4, 2012 Cropped.jpg Russell Wilson QuarterbackSeattle Seahawks [37]
2023 Cousins 2022 Crop.jpg Kirk Cousins QuarterbackMinnesota Vikings [1]
2024 Fitzpatrick in Nov. 2019 Crop.jpg Minkah Fitzpatrick Safety Pittsburgh Steelers [9]

Notes

See also

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References

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