Latest news with #WalterPaytonManoftheYear
Time of India
5 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
'The legend': Chiefs' heiress Ava Hunt honors Chiefs' Dustin Colquitt as he retires after 15 years
Dustin Colquitt has signed a ceremonial one-day contract to retire as a Kansas City Chief, concluding a remarkable 15-year career spent almost entirely with the franchise. Chiefs heiress Ava Hunt marked the occasion with a powerful two-word tribute, 'The Legend,' reflecting the deep respect the team and fans hold for Colquitt's lasting impact. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Veteran punter sets franchise records and plays key role in Chiefs' Super Bowl victory Dustin Colquitt's legacy in Kansas City is unmatched. Drafted in 2005, he holds franchise records for games played, punts, and punting yards. His ability to consistently control field position with powerful, precise punts was a key factor in the Chiefs' Super Bowl LIV victory. Beyond his skill, Colquitt's leadership and professionalism earned him immense respect inside the locker room and among fans. Chiefs coach Dave Toub praises Dustin Colquitt's skill and locker room presence Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub praised Colquitt's unique talent and character, calling him 'probably the biggest practical joker' he's ever known. 'He was a great teammate and a very, very talented punter,' Toub said. 'To play 15 years in the NFL, or 15 years for one team, is impressive enough. He was probably the best inside-the-20 punter I've ever had. He had a special skill at placing the ball inside the 20-yard line. ' Such praise from a legendary coach highlights Colquitt's rare combination of skill and personality. Off the field, Colquitt was also recognized for his charitable work. A multiple-time NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, he supported initiatives like free dental care for underserved children, demonstrating his commitment to community impact. Also read: Head coach Andy Reid facilitated the one-day contract as a heartfelt gesture to honor Colquitt's dedication and loyalty. Ava Hunt, granddaughter of Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt, has long been an influential voice within the Chiefs community. Known for her passion for the team and commitment to preserving the Hunt family legacy, Ava often uses her platform to celebrate players who embody the spirit and values of the franchise. Her tribute to Colquitt not only honors his achievements on the field but also reflects her deep connection to the team's culture and history.
New York Post
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Steve Wright, Packers Super Bowl champion whose likeness was used on iconic NFL trophy, dead at 82
Steve Wright, a three-time NFL champion with the Packers whose likeness was used on the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year trophy, died on Sunday in Alabama, the team announced Tuesday. He was 82. Born in Kentucky in 1942, Wright was a tackle at the University of Alabama under legendary coach Paul 'Bear' Bryant from 1961-63, winning a national title during his sophomore year. Robert Brown, Ron Kosteinik and Steve Wright (72) of the Packers look on against the Raiders during Super Bowl II on Jan. 14, 1968 at the Orange Bowl in Miami. Getty Images Even though he did not start a game with the Crimson Tide, Wright was drafted by the Packers in the fifth round of the 1964 NFL Draft and eighth round of the AFL draft by the Jets, ultimately signing with Green Bay. He played 56 games over the next four seasons, starting in 13, as the Packers won the NFL title in 1965 and Super Bowls I and II the following two seasons. He then played two seasons in New York with the Giants before single-season stints with Washington, the Bears and the Cardinals. But it was in 1969 as a member of Big Blue that Wright truly became part of NFL lore forever. That's when he was used by artist Daniel Bennett Schwartz as the model for a statue called 'The Gladiator,' which became the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year trophy. Cam Heyward receives the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year award before the Chiefs' win over the 49er in Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11, 2024 in Las Vegas. Getty Images Wright's likeness, with the cape around his shoulders, is still used as the trophy for the yearly award. In 1974, two years after his NFL career was over, the lineman came out with a memoir entitled 'I'd rather be Wright: Memoirs of an Itinerant Tackle,' which gave a 'fly-on-the-wall look' at life in the NFL in the 1960s and early '70s. The Packers' social media team succinctly summed up Wright's NFL legacy. 'A quiet legacy, cast in bronze,' the team wrote on X.
NBC Sports
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- NBC Sports
Steve Wright, NFL lineman who modeled Man of the Year trophy, dies at 82
Steve Wright, an NFL lineman whose impressive stature was immortalized in a sculpture that became the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year trophy, has died at the age of 82. The 6-foot-6, 250-pound Wright was a giant for his day and an imposing offensive tackle at Alabama, where he won a national championship in 1961. He was drafted by both the Packers in the NFL and the Jets in the AFL in 1964. Wright chose to play in Green Bay, and he won three championships and played in Super Bowls I and II. He later bounced around the league in four different cities, playing in New York, Washington, Chicago and St. Louis before finishing his professional career in the World Football League in 1974. In an era when football players were expected to follow their coaches' orders, Wright — despite playing for the hard-nosed Bear Bryant in college and Vince Lombardi in the NFL — gained a reputation for questioning everything. At the end of his career he published a memoir, I'd Rather be Wright: Memoirs of an Itinerant Tackle, that gave fans an inside look at life in pro football from an irreverent perspective that had rarely been shared before. But Wright is best known for serving as a model for sculptor Daniel Bennett Schwartz after the NFL commissioned Schwartz to make a distinctive trophy for a new award the league wanted to bestow on a player who epitomized everything that's right about the men who play pro football, both on and off the field. Wright stood in his uniform with a giant cape-like overcoat on his shoulder pads as Schwartz went to work creating a statue he called 'The Gladiator' that the NFL adopted as its Man of the Year Trophy. In 1970, Johnny Unitas became the first player to receive that NFL Man of the Year trophy. Walter Payton got the award in 1977, and after he died in 1999 the league changed the award's name to Walter Payton Man of the Year. The self-deprecating Wright often joked about how amusing he found it that such great players and great men were presented with 'a statue of me.' Wright was the first to admit he wasn't a great NFL player, agreeing in his book with Lombardi's assessment that he had the physical talent to be a bulldozing lineman but was too nice a guy to want to run over the player across the line from him. But Wright will always have a connection to some of the NFL's all-time greats, thanks to the award that bears his likeness.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Dolphins' Jaelan Phillips experienced "depressing and horrible feeling"
Dolphins linebacker Jaelan Phillips has had a rough couple of years: His 2023 season was cut short by a torn Achilles, and his 2024 season was cut short by a torn ACL. He says that was hard on him, not only physically but also mentally. Phillips told Dan Pompei of that talking with a therapist about his feelings has been an important part of his growth as a person during a time when he was missing more games than he played. Advertisement 'I'm an entertainer and my profession is performance-based, and it's so publicly performance-based,' Phillips said. 'It's a really depressing and horrible feeling to be hurt.' Phillips is heading into the fifth and final season of his rookie contract as a first-round pick in 2021, and he says he's hoping to earn a second contract with the Dolphins and would like to sign it before testing free agency next year. He also has goals including winning Comeback Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Walter Payton Man of the Year. And staying healthy to banish that depressing and horrible feeling of being hurt.
NBC Sports
28-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Dolphins' Jaelan Phillips experienced "depressing and horrible feeling"
Dolphins linebacker Jaelan Phillips has had a rough couple of years: His 2023 season was cut short by a torn Achilles, and his 2024 season was cut short by a torn ACL. He says that was hard on him, not only physically but also mentally. Phillips told Dan Pompei of that talking with a therapist about his feelings has been an important part of his growth as a person during a time when he was missing more games than he played. 'I'm an entertainer and my profession is performance-based, and it's so publicly performance-based,' Phillips said. 'It's a really depressing and horrible feeling to be hurt.' Phillips is heading into the fifth and final season of his rookie contract as a first-round pick in 2021, and he says he's hoping to earn a second contract with the Dolphins and would like to sign it before testing free agency next year. He also has goals including winning Comeback Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Walter Payton Man of the Year. And staying healthy to banish that depressing and horrible feeling of being hurt.
