Every year, the players of each of the 32 National Football League teams vote on a member of their team to receive the Ed Block Courage Award. The award is named after former Baltimore Colts trainer Ed Block, and is given to the player that his teammates feel exemplifies commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage. This is also an award that players take a great deal of pride in because, as I mentioned, it's voted on by their peers rather than members of the media or other outside entities.
Today, the Minnesota Vikings announced that cornerback Cedric Griffin has been named the recipient of the Vikings' 2010 Ed Block Courage Award. Griffin tore the ACL in his left knee while covering the kickoff that started overtime of the NFC Championship game, worked his tail off to get back into the lineup for the Vikings, and played only a couple of games for Minnesota this year before tearing the ACL in his right knee in the Monday night loss to the New York Jets.
According to the tweets of some of the reporters that covered Griffin's press conference this afternoon where he accepted the reward, he's apparently ready to begin running with a brace next week, and sounds entirely confident that he will be back and ready to contribute in a big way to the Minnesota Vikings' defense in 2011.
Congratulations to Cedric Griffin on his being voted the Minnesota Vikings' Ed Block Courage Award Winner for the 2010 NFL season. Here is a full list of Vikings that have received the Ed Block Courage Award from their teammates.
2010 - Cedric Griffin
2009 - E.J. Henderson
2008 - Kenechi Udeze
2007 - Chad Greenway
2006 - Matt Birk
2005 - Koren Robinson
2004 - Corey Chavous
2003 - Eric Kelly
2002 - Lewis Kelly
2001 - Daunte Culpepper
2000 - Gary Anderson
1999 - Robert Griffith
1998 - Randall Cunningham
1997 - Robert Smith
1996 - Scottie Graham
1995 - John Randle
1994 - Cris Carter
1993 - Henry Thomas
1992 - Darrin Nelson
1991 - Terry Allen
1990 - Gary Zimmerman
1989 - Jim Gustafson
1988 - Leo Lewis
1987 - Scott Studwell
1986 - Walker Lee Ashley
1985 - Keith Nord
1984 - Steve Riley