Steelers DL Cam Heyward Named Finalist for Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award

Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward is one of eight finalists for the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award, the league announced on Tuesday.

Each NFL team nominates one player for the award, which recognizes players who exemplify outstanding sportsmanship on the field. The 32 nominees were reduced to eight finalists by a panel of former players including Pittsburgh native Curtis Martin.

“You try to think about the man who is representing the organization, their teammates and also what they are doing on the football field – the impact they are having,” said panel member and former Tampa Bay running back Warrick Dunn. “You want guys who display leadership, who go above and beyond, who think about their teammates before they think about themselves. It is always hard to narrow down the list of individuals for this award.”

Current NFL players will vote on a winner by team. Each team cannot vote for its own representative.

The eight finalists are Carolina quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, Baltimore defensive end Calais Campbell, Tampa Bay linebacker Lavonte David, Heyward, Indianapolis defensive end Justin Houston, San Francisco fullback Kyle Juszczyk, Philadelphia center Jason Kelce and New England wide receiver Matthew Slater.

The award has been given out since 2014 in honor of Steelers founder and Pro Football Hall of Famer Art Rooney Sr. No Steelers player has ever won the award. Washington running back Adrian Peterson won the award in 2019.