A prominent group of sportswriters bestowed Philadelphia Eagles defensive end and frequent Trump critic Chris Long, with their “Good Guy Award” on Thursday.
The award, presented annually by the Pro Football Writers of America, is intended to celebrate an NFL player “for his qualities and professional style in helping pro football writers do their jobs.”
Since criticizing President Trump and promoting social justice causes has replaced sports as the primary job of most sports writers, perhaps it’s not surprising that Long was chosen for the award.
“Whether it was the Eagles defense, the team’s underdog status, the unrest in Charlottesville, his philanthropic endeavors, or his involvement in and support of social justice issues, Long’s insight and perspective were appreciated during his first year in Philadelphia,” Zach Berman, of the Philadelphia Inquirer, told the Associated Press.
Long has spoken out on a variety of issues ranging from the Charlottesville demonstrations, to the ongoing controversy over the NFL’s anthem protests.
According to the Hill, “The Charlottesville native donated his first six game checks of the 2017 season to fund scholarships in the city after clashes between white nationalists and counterprotesters last August turned deadly.
“Long later elected to donate his final 10 game checks to underserved youth in the three cities for which he’s played in the NFL – Philadelphia, Boston and St. Louis.”
Long bashed the NFL and President Trump after the league changed its anthem policy in May. According to the new policy, all players in the playing area must stand for the anthem. While players who don’t want to stand can remain in the locker room.
Long accused the league of pandering to Trump and his base:
— Chris Long (@JOEL9ONE) May 23, 2018
Long and his fellow Eagles were disinvited from the White House by President Trump after it became clear that less than a handful of players planned to attend the event.
According to the AP, Long received the award for his thoughtful remarks on a variety of topics on and off the field.
Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter @themightygwinn
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