The eight-man list of finalists for the 2021 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award includes one New England Patriot and two former Patriots.
Longtime Patriots special teams captain Matthew Slater is among the finalists for the award, as are Miami Dolphins cornerback Jason McCourty and Houston Texans wide receiver Brandin Cooks, both of whom spent time in New England.
The Art Rooney Award, first presented in 2014, recognizes “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.” This is Slater’s third consecutive year as a finalist and his fourth overall, but he has yet to win the award.
Last week, Slater was voted to his 10th Pro Bowl, extending his own NFL record for special teamers.
“I don’t know if there’s someone that’s as good of a person and as good of a football player as Matt Slater,” Patriots center David Andrews said. “I think he’s a Pro Bowler in life, too.”
The 9-6 Patriots will look to snap a two-game losing streak when they host the 2-13 Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday at Gillette Stadium.
