Patrick Mahomes has been nominated for the third time for a recognition that many believe he still needs to earn, is this his year?

The Chiefs might finish with just one loss on the season like they did in 2020

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) walks off the field after a winAP

Since Patrick Mahomes became the starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2018, he has claimed nearly every award possible for a quarterback. In addition to his three Super Bowl titles and three Super Bowl MVPs, Mahomes has been named First-Team All-Pro (2x), NFL MVP (2x), Offensive Player of the Year, and has been the NFL leader in passing yards and the NFL leader in passing touchdowns (2x), among other records like the most total yards by a quarterback in a season: 5,614. However, there is one award that he has been nominated for three times, but has yet to win. He’s up again this year, and maybe the fourth time will be the charm.

Mahomes Nominated for a Sportsmanship Award

The award in question is the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award. Today, the NFL announced the 32 nominees, one from each team, for this year’s award. Among those nominated is Patrick Mahomes, marking his fourth nomination for the award – an award he has yet to win. The award, which was created in 2014, honors the late Art Rooney Sr, the founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and a Pro Football Hall of Famer. But what exactly does the award honor? According to the NFL’s official site:

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.

Essentially, the award recognizes a player who exemplifies exceptional conduct on the field – someone who remains composed, upholds the integrity of the game and demonstrates ethical play. In a contact sport where physicality can easily cross the line into injury or aggression, this award underscores the importance of playing with respect and integrity at the highest level of competition.

What Comes with Winning the NFL Sportsmanship Award?

In previous years when Patrick Mahomes was nominated (2019, 2020 and 2021), the award was won by former MVP Adrian Peterson (2019), former Panthers QB Teddy Bridgewater (2020) and PatriotsMatthew Slater (2021). In the past two seasons, the Chiefs have had CB Trent McDuffie and LB Nick Bolton nominated, but no Kansas City player has ever won the award, which has only been in existence for 11 seasons. Still, it’s certainly an honor to be nominated, let alone win.

Along with the recognition, the award comes with a $25,000 donation from the NFL Foundation to the charity of the winner’s choice. Before the final winner is chosen, the list of 32 nominees will be narrowed down to a group of eight finalists. These finalists will appear on the Pro Bowl ballot in the NFL Sportsmanship Award category, where players will cast their votes in December. The selection process includes a group of NFL legends, including Warrick Dunn, Larry Fitzgerald, Pro Football Hall of Famer Curtis Martin and Leonard Wheeler.

Art Rooney Award History: Veterans Lead the List

In conclusion, the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award has mostly been given to veteran players with at least ten seasons in the league, with the exception of Luke Kuechly in 2017 and Teddy Bridgewater in 2020. Outside of those two, the other eight winners have been players nearing the end of their NFL careers, such as Larry Fitzgerald, Charles Woodson, Frank Gore, Drew Brees, and last year’s winner, Bobby Wagner, who is 34 years old. I believe this is due to the fact that a veteran player, having a better knowledge of the game and what is right or wrong on the field, gets more respect from the rival players.

Besides I think it is obvious that the older you get the more mature you are and therefore know how to behave on the field. As for this year’s nominees, the list of 32 includes four other quarterbacks in addition to Patrick Mahomes: Josh Allen, Tua Tagovailoa, Dak Prescott and Jordan Love. Other notable nominees include Maxx Crosby, Cooper Kupp, Kyle Juszczyk, Aaron Jones, Khalil Mack and Tyrann Mathieu.