Steelers Now
Linebacker Cole Holcomb is the Pittsburgh Steelers 2025 recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award, the team announced on Tuesday.
Holcomb returned to acton this season after a devastating knee injury that he suffered in 2023. The injury threatened Holcomb’s career and required well over a year of rehabilitation, but he returned to the Pittsburgh lineup this fall and has played a regular role on the defense in his return to action.
“Honestly, I was just excited to be able to get an opportunity to get out there and play the game that I love,” Holcomb said after his first start post-injury against the New England Patriots in Week 2. “Definitely not taking any play for granted anymore. It was a long journey. It was a hell of a journey. There were days that it sucked.”
Holcomb first joined the Steelers in 2023 and played just eight games with the club before his injury, but stuck with the team through his rehab process, even taking a pay cut to return in 2025.
The Ed Block Courage Award has been given out annually since 1984, honoring one player from each NFL team who shows commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage. Players vote for the winner, who has been courageous in returning from an injury or other life-changing event.
The Steelers have usually voted for players that are returning from injury over the last few years. Stephon Tuitt, Devin Bush, Tyson Alualu, Calvin Austin III and Cory Trice are the last five winners of the award.
The award is named in honor of Ed Block, a former head athletic trainer for the Baltimore Colts. Block was a trainer for the Baltimore Colts from 1954-77. After his retirement, an annual award was given in Block’s honor for a Colts player with outstanding character. In 1984, after the Colts moved to Indianapolis, the award was expanded to honor one player on each NFL team annually.
2024 Cory Trice
2023 Calvin Austin III
2022 Tyson Alualu
2021 Devin Bush Jr.
2020 Stephon Tuitt
2019 James Conner
2018 Ryan Shazier
2017 Artie Burns
2016 Maurkice Pouncey
2015 William Gay
2014 Sean Spence
2013 Heath Miller
2012 Willie Colon
2011 Max Starks
2010 Nick Eason
2009 Aaron Smith
2008 Ryan Clark
2007 Ben Roethlisberger
2006 Travis Kirschke
2005 Casey Hampton
2004 Kendall Simmons
2003 Mike Logan
2002 Amos Zereoue
2001 Wayne Gandy
2000 Dermontti Dawson
1999 Chad Scott
1998 Tim Lester
1997 Mark Bruener
1996 Rod Woodson
1995 Jerry Olsavsky
1994 Charles Johnson
1993 Gary Jones
1992 Hardy Nickerson
1991 Mike Mularkey
1990 John Rienstra
1989 Keith Willis
1988 Greg Lloyd
1987 Dwayne Woodruff
1986 Gary Dunn
1985 Pete Rostosky
1984 Eric Williams
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers Linebacker Awarded for Courage after Returning from Injury
