HOUSTON (Sports Radio 610) - The NFL announced Thursday morning that Houston Texans DL Jerry Hughes has been named a finalist for the 2022 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.
The award is presented 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.
Four finalists are chosen from each conference, this years finalists alongside Hughes in the AFC include Ravens DL Calais Campbell, Browns RB Nick Chubb and Raiders DL Maxx Crosby.
The four finalists from the NFC are Vikings RB Dalvin Cook, Buccaneers LB Lavonte David, Packers RB Aaron Jones and 49ers FB Kyle Juszczyk.
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Hughes, a 13-year veteran and a native of Sugar Land, signed a 2-year $10M deal with the Texans in the off-season.
Despite the defenses struggles this season, Hughes has posted 8.0 sacks through the first 13 weeks of the season, tied for 11th-most in the NFL. A team captain this season, he’s also recorded three multi-sack games which is tied for the second-most multi-sack games in the NFL this season.
Hughes has 66.0 career sacks, including 91 tackles for loss and 137 quarterback hits, all of which rank in the top-20 among active players.
Texans Head Coach Lovie Smith has acknowledged Hughes’ impact and leadership regularly this season.
“It says a lot - when you’ve only been in the building less than a year, to have that kind of impact on your teammates,” Smith said.
Texans Defensive Line Coach Jacques Cesaire has also praised Hughes’ integrity, preparation and play this season.
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“There’s nothing that he does that surprises me. It’s the consistency,” Cesaire said. “He’s the same person all the time. I always say to people, how you do one thing is how you do everything. That’s how he is.”
The Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award was created in 2014 in honor of the late founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pro Football Hall of Famer Art Rooney Sr.
The winner of the NFL Sportsmanship Award is determined by a vote of current NFL players. From the eight finalists, each team’s players submit a consensus vote of their choice for the winner. As in Pro Bowl voting, a team cannot vote for its own player.