NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Some local media corps around the NFL have long presented an annual award to the player they find most helpful.
Others have started more recently.
We've been too slow to do so. But finally, as the Nashville chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America, we created such an award, named it after Eddie George and voted on the first winner.
Unanimously, we gave it to Kevin Byard, who's never asked for a day off and never turned away a question, helping all of us in regular group settings and sticking around for an extra question any time anyone needed him.
I had suggested to Taylor Lewan he pass through the room during media availability Thursday, and I don't know if that's why he did. But I took the chance to tell him I was sorry we had not created the award earlier because he certainly would have won it at least once.
Here is a rough sketch of guys in the Tennesse era of the franchise I would also like to tell the same thing. You'd have had my vote and I think you'd have won, gotten the trophy and had your name on the press room plaque that now starts with Byard.
Eddie George
Frank Wycheck
Samari Rolle
Keith Bulluck
Derrick Mason
Lance Schulter
Kyle Vanden Bosch
Kevin Mawae
Chris Hope
Bo Scaife
Matt Hasselbeck
Jurrell Casey
Jason McCourty
Nate Washington
Nate Washington
Stephen Tulloch
Delanie Walker
Bernard Pollard
Brian Orakpo
Taylor Lewan
Logan Ryan
Rodger Saffold
A.J. Brown