The NFL has decided to start a new tradition this year before Super Bowl XLIX by giving out several awards to players deemed worthy by their peers and fans alike on the day before the big game. There's a new award among the many, and that's the NFL Sportsmanship Award.
All 32 teams nominated one player on their roster who epitomized sportsmanship on the field. It should be no surprise the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Troy Polamalu to be their representative for the award.
From the 32 nominees, NFL players will vote and narrow the field to eight players (four from the AFC and four from the NFC) by December 19th.
Some of the qualities the league is looking for in a player were fair play, respect for the game and their opponents and integrity in competition. Polamalu embodies those characteristics every time he steps onto the field, and he has done so since coming into the league.
The winner will be announced the day before the Super Bowl and the player will receiver $25,000 dollars to donate to a charity of his choice.
For the full list of the 32 players selected to represent their teams, you can go the Steelers.com page to find out more information.