32 NFL players have been nominated for the 2022 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award. pic.twitter.com/2Y9zBuOrb2
Buy Saints Tickets— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 22, 2022
Here’s some well-deserved recognition: the New Orleans Saints nominated right tackle Ryan Ramczyk for the 2022 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award, per an NFL press release. The annual award was established in 2014 to honor the late Pittsburgh Steelers owner, “which recognizes players around the league who exemplify outstanding sportsmanship on the field.”
Ramczyk, who was elected a team captain for the first time this year, is one of the longest-tenured starters on the team. He’s a foundational piece for the Saints offense now and moving forward. Drafted in 2017 as a left tackle out of Wisconsin, he unexpectedly moved to the right side after an early-season injury to longtime Saints tackle Zach Strief, and he’s held the job down ever since. The Saints rewarded him with a long-term contract extension last summer, and his mentor Strief returned to the team as an assistant coach.
Two of Ramczyk’s quarterbacks have won this award before: Drew Brees did it in 2018, and Teddy Bridgewater followed up in 2020 (with the Carolina Panthers, natch). The Saints nominated Cameron Jordan for the award last season.
We’ll see if Ramczyk advances to the next stage as a finalist later in December. The Art Rooney Award winner is announced at the annual NFL Honors event before the Super Bowl in February, and it might be a memorable evening for several Saints offensive linemen: longtime right guard Jahri Evans has been named a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2023, which will be announced at the same occasion. Good luck to both standout players.
