GREEN BAY – Veteran defensive back Tramon Williams is the Packers' nominee for the 2018 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.
The award was created in 2014 in honor of the Pro Football Hall of Famer and late founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Art Rooney, Sr. It recognizes players who exemplify outstanding sportsmanship on the field, including fair play, respect for the game and opponents, and integrity in competition.
Williams is in his 12th year in in the NFL and his second stint with the Packers. Undrafted out of Louisiana Tech, he originally joined the Packers as a member of the practice squad in 2006 and made the active roster in 2007.
He played eight seasons with the Packers, going to the Pro Bowl in 2010, before spending two years in Cleveland and one in Arizona prior to returning to Green Bay this season.
Each of the league's 32 teams gets one nominee, and from that group, eight finalists (four from each conference) are chosen by a panel of former players. The eight finalists are then listed on the Pro Bowl ballot when players cast their votes on Friday, Dec. 14.
Each team's players will submit a consensus vote of their choice for the winner, but a team cannot vote for its own player. The winner will be announced during the NFL Honors show on Saturday, Feb. 2, on CBS, the night before Super Bowl LIII. The winner will receive a trophy and a $25,000 donation from the NFL Foundation to a charity of his choice.
Previous Packers nominees for the award include safety Morgan Burnett and linebacker Julius Peppers. Former Packers defensive back Charles Woodson won the award as a member of the Oakland Raiders in 2015.
