NFL Introduces Protector of the Year Award to Recognize Best OL Each Season

The NFL will be adding a Protector of the Year honor to its list of awards, per league executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent on Wednesday.

As relayed by ESPN's Brooke Pryor, Buffalo Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins and former offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth, a 16-year veteran, championed the idea before it came to fruition.

Dawkins spoke about the need for offensive linemen to be recognized back in January, per Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk.

“Offensive linemen don’t have awards for being great,” Dawkins said. “There’s not a protector of the year award. I’m knocking at so many doors now to get this award going. I’m gonna spearhead it and make sure it gets done before I’m done playing. Because there’s so many greats, and we have great quarterbacks, we have great running backs, we have rushing titles, we have quarterback passing titles. All those titles are reflections on the o-linemen, which are the protectors.”

Whitworth made his opinion clear on the matter to Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times.

"Having an award like this would let an individual stand up there as the best of the best. Every young kid in high school that may be teetering as to whether he wants to be an offensive lineman or not can say, 'Wow, look at [the San Francisco 49ers'] Trent Williams. Look at [the Philadelphia Eagles'] Lane Johnson.' It's an inspiration to want to be great."

College football has awards for offensive linemen, including the Outland Trophy for the best overall lineman and the Rimington Trophy for the best center.

Top contenders for the inaugural Protector of the Year award could include—but are not limited to—Dawkins, the Philadelphia Eagles' Lane Johnson, the Dallas Cowboys' Tyler Smith and the Detroit Lions' Penei Sewell, among many others.