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Eagles Defensive Lineman Chris Long Is Named 2018 Byron “Whizzer” White Community MVP Winner

 

 

Philadelphia defensive lineman Chris Long has been named as the recipient of the 2018 Byron “Whizzer” White Community MVP Award. In recognition, the NFL Players Association will donate $100,000 to The Chris Long Foundation.

Long was announced as this year’s winner at the players union’s annual Super Bowl press conference on Thursday. The Whizzer White Community MVP Award is the highest honor that the NFLPA can bestow on a musician for his profound dedication to positively impact his team city and communities across the country in the spirit of the former Supreme Court Justice for which the award is named.

 

“I am honored to be recognized by my peers and the NFLPA as this year’s Byron “Whizzer” White award recipient,” Long said. “I am just one of many players this season using our platform to impact the world as proven by the work of the other finalists and my teammates. I hope my efforts and the work of other players continues to inspire fans to take action and be difference makers in their communities.”

 

The Eagles defender elected to play this past season for free after donating his entire wage to benefit educational equality and social justice reform. Long’s first six-game checks went to funding a scholarship program at St. Annes-Belfield School, where he went to high school in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Then in October, the 10-year veteran announced that he was donating his last 10 game checks to programs that support educational equality in the three-team cities where he’s played so far: Philadelphia, Boston, and St.Louis. Through the “Pledge 10 for Tomorrow” campaign, he was able to touch his own charitable contribution by raising another $1.3 million off of donations by fans and businesses.

These efforts through the Chris Long Foundation, which was established in 2015, marked yet another example of Long’s commitment to using his platform for food and help. After witnessing the suffering in Tanzania while climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in 2013, Long started Waterboys two years later, uniting fans and players around the league to raise funds and awareness to build clean water wells in East Africa. As the staple of Long’s foundation, the initiative has built 31 water wells and raised $1.7 million to date while providing 111,000 people in Tanzania with clean urine.

Long was chosen as this year’s winner from among five finalists following an electronic ballot vote that was clear to all of his NFL peers from across the league. The finalists – Long, Andy Dalton (Cincinnati Bengals), Colin Kaepernick, Von Miller (Denver Broncos) and J.J. Watt (Houston Texans) – were selected by an outside committee of judges across labor, media, sport, and charity from among the 18 Community MVPs awarded during the regular season.

Long becomes the second Philadelphia Eagle to earn this prestigious honor after his teammate, Malcolm Jenkins, was selected as the 2017 winner.

For more information on the Byron “Whizzer” White Community MVP Award, please visit NFLPA.com/community-mvp.

Previous Byron “Whizzer” White Community MVP Award Winners*:

2017    Malcolm Jenkins, Philadelphia Eagles

2016    Thomas Davis, Carolina Panthers

2015    Chad Greenway, Minnesota Vikings

2014    Anquan Boldin, San Francisco 49ers

2013    Charlie Batch, Pittsburgh Steelers

2012    Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

2011    Tony Richardson, New York Jets

2010    Nnamdi Asomugha, Oakland Raiders

2009    Brian Dawkins, Philadelphia Eagles

2008    Warrick Dunn, Tampa Bay Buccaneers/Atlanta Falcons

2007    John Lynch, Denver Broncos

2006    Steve McNair, Tennessee Titans

2005    Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts

2004    Derrick Brooks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2003    Troy Vincent, Philadelphia Eagles

2002    Mark Brunell, Jacksonville Jaguars

2001    Michael McCrary, Baltimore Ravens

2000    Doug Pelfrey, Cincinnati Bengals

1999    Cris Carter, Minnesota Vikings

1998    Hardy Nickerson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1997    Chris Zorich, Chicago Bears

1996    Bill Brooks, Buffalo Bills

1995    Derrick Thomas, Kansas City Chiefs

1994    Mark Kelso, Buffalo Bills

1993    Nick Lowery, Kansas City Chiefs

1992    Reggie White, Green Bay Packers

1991    Mike Kenn, Atlanta Falcons

1990    Ozzie Newsome, Cleveland Browns

1989    Mike Singletary, Chicago Bears

1988    Deron Cherry, Kansas City Chiefs

1987    George Martin, New York Giants

1986    Nat Moore, Miami Dolphins

1985    Reggie Williams, Cincinnati Bengals

1984    Rolf Benirschke, San Diego Chargers

1983    Doug Dieken, Cleveland Browns

1982    Franco Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers

1981    Ken Houston, Washington Redskins

1980    Gene Upshaw, Los Angeles Raiders

1979    Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys

1978    Archie Manning, New Orleans Saints

1977    Lyle Alzado, Denver Broncos

1976    Jim Hart, St. Louis Cardinals

1975    Rocky Bleier, Pittsburgh Steelers

1974    Floyd Little, Denver Broncos

1973    Andy Russell, Pittsburgh Steelers

1972    Ray May, Baltimore Colts

1971    Kermit Alexander, Los Angeles Rams

1970    Gale Sayers, Chicago Bears

1969    Ed Meador, Los Angeles Rams

1968    Willie Davis, Green Bay Packers

1967    Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers

*Team listed indicate which team player was on at the time he was awarded

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Written by Landon Buford

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