Buffalo Rumblings
After lobbying from Dion Dawkins, the NFL has given offensive linemen their own prestigious award
Offensive Linemen already shnow who to thank for getting an end-of-year award for their position group. After Buffalo Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins called for a ‘Protector of the Year’ accolade earlier this year, the NFL made it official today and kept the award title that Dawkins conjured.
The award will be voted on by a panel of former and current NFL linemen, which gives it an extra layer of credibility, not relying on media members who may not understand the nuanced impact and skills offensive linemen can possess.
The award seeks to credit the big men up front in the same vein that skill players do at the end of a season. As Dawkins mentioned in January, “all those titles are reflections on the offensive lineman, the protectors.” This award is also bound to impact contract value to those who finish high in voting and be another feather in the cap of a lineman’s Hall of Fame campaign.
All-Pro voting has been controversial for many years now, including the fiasco with quarterback Josh Allen being named NFL MVP despite being a 2nd Team All-Pro — and this award could open the gates to more position-based awards akin to a Golden Glove in Baseball.
Dawkins is a four-time Pro-Bowler and three-time Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, and he will now be etched in NFL history as the man who brought a yearly honor to life.
