INDIANAPOLIS – One day down the road, Frank Gore will hear his named announced for the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday of Super Bowl week.
On this Saturday, Gore took home a pretty distinguished honor in its own right.
Gore was named the 2016 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award, named for owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pro Football Hall of Famer Art Rooney, Sr., which recognizes players around the league who show outstanding sportsmanship on the field.
NFL players vote on the award.
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.
Charles Woodson of the Oakland Raiders (2015) and Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals (2014) are the two previous winners of the award.
This past year Gore ran for 1,025 yards, becoming the NFL's first player age 33 years or older to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark since 1984.
What Gore means to the Colts is not lost among his peers and coaches:
Quarterback Andrew Luck: "Frank is the man. You won't find a guy that loves football more than Frank Gore. "He is as hard a worker as anybody I've ever played with. I think you would be hard pressed to find someone who cares more about football and the team. Everything that is awesome about football, Frank embodies. He is a beautiful teammate. He's a great football player. He's a great locker room guy. You get so happy when he has success because he deserves it. He works so hard."Head Coach Chuck Pagano:"(Frank's) relentless in the classroom and relentless on the practice field. We try to manage our plus thirty guys from a rep standpoint. We want them fresh on Sundays. He's a guy that does not want to come out. He comes to work every single day and puts the time in which is necessary to play at the level he's played at and to continue to play at that level."
Offensive Coordinator Rob Chudzinski:"He is a special, special guy. I love Frank Gore. You can't say enough good things about him. If we all knew how hard and where he came from and the things he has done to be able to get to this point. There were probably a lot of odds stacked up against him but he has gotten here. He has great instincts, feet, he has everything. He has natural running ability; he is a natural running back. All the things along the way that he has done, he has gotten his degree from the University of Miami, he has done so many good things for the communities and places he has been. He has lasted for so many years to the age that he is, it's really unbelievable. His legacy is there; he is forever going to be one of the best that has ever played at that position. The beautiful thing about Frank is that you wouldn't know it talking to him. He still wants to prove himself, he still always feels like he can be better. You guys probably get a sense for it when you talk to him. He is just a special guy and it has been a privilege to coach him."
2016 ART ROONEY SPORTSMANSHIP AWARD NOMINEES
TEAM
NOMINEE
Arizona Cardinals
DT Calais Campbell
Atlanta Falcons
FB Patrick DiMarco
Baltimore Ravens
G Marshal Yanda
Buffalo Bills
DT Kyle Williams
Carolina Panthers
TE Greg Olsen
Chicago Bears
LB Sam Acho
Cincinnati Bengals
WR A.J. Green
Cleveland Browns
T Joe Thomas
Dallas Cowboys
CB Brandon Carr
Denver Broncos
LB DeMarcus Ware
Detroit Lions
S Glover Quin
Green Bay Packers
LB Julius Peppers
Houston Texans
LB Brian Cushing
Indianapolis Colts
RB Frank Gore
Jacksonville Jaguars
LB Paul Posluszny
Kansas City Chiefs
LB Derrick Johnson
Los Angeles Rams
DE Robert Quinn
Miami Dolphins
T Branden Albert
Minnesota Vikings
CB Terence Newman
New England Patriots
S Devin McCourty
New Orleans Saints
T Zach Strief
New York Giants
WR Victor Cruz
New York Jets
WR Brandon Marshall
Oakland Raiders
QB Derek Carr
Philadelphia Eagles
RB Darren Sproles
Pittsburgh Steelers
LB Arthur Moats
San Diego Chargers
QB Philip Rivers
San Francisco 49ers
T Joe Staley
Seattle Seahawks
WR Tyler Lockett
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
DT Gerald McCoy
Tennessee Titans
QB Marcus Mariota
Washington Redskins
QB Kirk Cousins
