The NFL is introducing the Protector of the 12 months Award, which might be given to the league’s greatest offensive lineman, it was introduced on the league’s spring assembly Wednesday.
The winner might be determined by a panel that features a variety of former offensive line greats.
NFL govt vice chairman of soccer operations Troy Vincent gave credit score to Buffalo Payments left sort out Dion Dawkins and retired offensive sort out Andrew Whitworth for pushing for the creation of the award.
Dawkins wrote that “Historical past was made right now,” in a submit to X and thanked “everybody concerned.”
Historical past was made right now. One thing that beginning with an Thought and a Dialog and Now the “Protector Of The 12 months” Award is Right here and Right here to Keep. Thanks to Everybody concerned. At the moment WE made Historical past #YouAlreadyShnow #ProtectorOfTheYear #historical past pic.twitter.com/qzYl7rY8xZ
— Dion Dawkins (@DDawkins66) Might 21, 2025
Dawkins had talked about wanting an award to acknowledge offensive linemen in January, in the course of the week earlier than the AFC Championship Sport.
“… Offensive linemen haven’t got awards for being nice. There’s not a protector of the yr award. I am knocking at so many doorways now to get this award going, and I will head spear it and be sure that this will get achieved earlier than I am achieved taking part in, as a result of there’s so many greats, there’s so many greats. And if now we have nice quarterbacks, now we have nice working backs, now we have speeding titles, now we have quarterback passing titles. All these titles are reflections of the outdated linemen, that are the protectors and shortly [it’ll] come,” he mentioned.
Whitworth additionally took to X to react to information of the award coming to fruition.
“This award means all the things to the large guys up entrance. The Protector of the 12 months is not nearly stats-it’s in regards to the mindset, grit, and management it takes to be the inspiration of a soccer staff,” Whitworth posted to X. “It is time the boys who lead, shield, and by no means ask for credit score are acknowledged because the spine of this recreation!”
ESPN’s Brooke Pryor and Alaina Getzenberg contributed to this report.
