Getty Matthew Stafford.
As is common this time of year, the Detroit Lions have seen one of their own get nominated for a very impressive NFL award.
Thursday, center Frank Ragnow was named the team’s nominee for the annual Art Rooney Sportsmanship award. The award is given out annually and a player from each team across the league is nominated around this time in early December. The list is then whittled down and a winner is revealed around the Super Bowl as part of the NFL Awards show.
Ragnow makes sense as this year’s nominee, as he is just as good off the field as he is on the field and is a true positive example for the Lions at this point in his young career. Ragnow has only been in the league for a few seasons, but it’s nice to see him making an impact on the team and getting recognized for what he’s been able to do on the field so far.
Frank Ragnow Lions Career
It’s been a great start to Ragnow’s career in Detroit. At first he played guard, but then switched back to his natural college position of center. Ever since that happened, Ragnow has played great and the team’s line has taken on a new look. A first round pick out of Arkansas in 2018, Ragnow has made a big impact for the Lions and looks like one of the team’s true building blocks moving forward. By receiving this honor, that only looks like more of the case.
Ragnow looks like he is going to remain a force for the Lions into the future not simply on the field but off. His work in such a short time since joining the team has been impressive, and even if he never takes home this award, it’s great to note that he was a nominee and is someone who is being recognized for his excellence.
What is the Art Rooney Award?
Being a team’s Art Rooney Award nominee is a major honor for any player considering what the award has stood for in football. Here’s a look at the explanation of what the award is and how balloting will go from an official NFL release:
“The winner of the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award is determined by a vote of current NFL players. From the eight finalists, each team’s players will submit a consensus vote of their choice for the winner. As in Pro Bowl voting, a team cannot vote for its own player.
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.
Since Ragnow joined the Lions, he’s been a shining example of all those things, so it’s nice to see him finally gain some recognition. Now, it will be interesting to see if he can advance through the process and become a finalist when all is said and done.
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