Saints players have spoken. In a team vote they have dubbed defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins the club’s 2019 Ed Block Courage Award winner. A player on every NFL squad is recognized yearly for persevering through adversity.
“It is always good to be voted for anything in a positive light by your peers,” Rankins said in a media release sent out by the team. “Obviously, everything I went through this past year with my Achilles, I was just doing everything I can to get back as soon as possible.”
Each year the Ed Block Courage Awards honor players who overcome adversity on the field, possess strong character and a will to endure life’s trials, and who continuously strive for excellence on and off the field. The award is named after Ed Block, the longtime head athletic trainer of the Baltimore Colts who was a pioneer in his profession and a respected humanitarian. All 32 of this year’s Ed Block Courage Award recipients will be honored at a banquet in Baltimore. Proceeds from the event benefit abused children of the Courage House National Support Network.