The 2020 season was a personal best for Bears linebacker Roquan Smith.
It was a year in which Smith had more solo tackles than Bobby Wagner, collected more tackles, sacks, QB Hits, and tackles-for-loss than Darius Leonard, and more total tackles, solo tackles, tackles-for-loss, and sacks than Fred Warner. When you’re putting up numbers that puts you in the conversation with those tackling machines, you’re doing something right. And ultimately, Smith’s on the field accomplishments earned him second-team All-Pro honors.
Now, we can add more honors to his name:
Sportsmanship, dedication, a community role model & so much more.
Congrats to our 2020 Ed Block Courage Award winner, @RoquanSmith1! 👏
— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) April 22, 2021
Roquan Smith has been voted by his teammates as the recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award.
“It’s a tremendous honor for me,” Smith told the Bears’ official website. “Being voted on by my teammates, I think that speaks volumes, just having your peers vote for you and think you deserve this award. That means a lot to me just because of the brotherhood we have.”
The Ed Block Courage Award is an honor goes to a player on each of the NFL’s 32 teams. It is given to someone who represents a commitment to sportsmanship, courage, professionalism, and is considered to be a role model in their community. So, in addition to the wonderful things Smith does on the football field, it’s good to see that he checks all the boxes elsewhere. Recent Bears recipients include Allen Robinson (2019), Zach Miller (2018), Kyle Long (2017), Pernell McPhee (2016), and Robbie Gould (2015). That’s good company to be keeping for Smith.
Fans who want to tune in for the awards ceremony can do so by following this link at 6 p.m. CT on Saturday.
Congrats to Roquan Smith. May the quality accolades continue to roll in!