Pittsburgh Review

Special teams captain Miles Killebrew has been nominated by the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 11th annual Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award. This award is given to a player who exemplifies sportsmanship on the field, including fair play, respect for the game and opponents, and integrity in competition.

The award was established in 2014 to honor Art Rooney Sr., the founder of the Steelers and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Each team nominates one player, and eight finalists—four from each conference—are chosen by members of the NFL Legends Community.

"Sportsmanship is the core of the game, the vanguard of public confidence, the keeper of game integrity," said Troy Vincent, NFL executive vice president of football operations. "These Rooney Sportsmanship Award nominees exemplify the spirit of fair play and the values of respect, integrity, commitment to team and resiliency at the highest level of competition."

The final decision will be made by current players when these nominees appear on their Pro Bowl Games ballot under NFL Sportsmanship Award. The winner will be announced during the NFL Honors show on Super Bowl eve.

Art Rooney Sr.'s name was chosen for this award due to his dedication to sportsmanship throughout his time with the NFL.

Killebrew has been elected as special teams captain by his teammates for three consecutive years. He expressed his gratitude for this role: "It's an honor. There's no other way to describe it," said Killebrew about being a captain. "Definitely something I don't take for granted. To be voted for by my peers here in the locker room means a lot. I take great responsibility for it moving forward."

He added: "When coach said my name, it felt just as exciting as the first time. I was completely thrilled and humbled. It's definitely a moment for me to step up and be what my teammates need me to be, which is someone who holds the standard."