FRISCO, Texas – VFL Jason Witten held his inaugural Collegiate Man of the Year Award presentation on Thursday night at the Dallas Cowboys Headquarters, The Star.
The Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award, presented by Albertsons and Tom Thumb, is in its first year and honors a college football player who has demonstrated an outstanding record of leadership by exhibiting courage, integrity and sportsmanship – virtues Witten has embodied during his football career with the Vols and the Cowboys.
After a list that began with 155 players and was shortened to 20 semifinalists, Witten and his Board of Directors picked three finalists for the award: Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph, Alabama cornerback Minkah Fitzpatrick (who was coached by UT head coach Jeremy Pruitt) and UCF linebacker Shaquem Griffin.
Griffin took home the honor in front a crowd that included several of Witten’s past and current Cowboys’ teammates, including Tony Romo and Emmitt Smith, as well as his college head coach, Tennessee Director of Athletics Phillip Fulmer.
“I was honored to be sitting at the head table at the first ever Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year event,” Fulmer said. “The presentation was outstanding and congratulations to Shaquem Griffin on being the first winner of the award.
“Jason Witten is the perfect man, player, leader, and role model to have his name on this award. Jason has achieved, overcome, worked, and led at the highest level of collegiate and professional football, all the while maintaining his integrity, passion, compassion, and character as a husband, father, and community leader. I am proud of Jason as he continues to represent UT, the Dallas Cowboys, and all that is good in sports on a daily basis.
“This is an award that every college football player should strive to be nominated for.”
Griffin led UCF to an undefeated season and conference championship, despite having only one hand. An inspiration to his teammates, he graduated with a degree in sociology and is a regular volunteer at local Boys & Girls Clubs.
“I am truly honored to present the inaugural Collegiate Man of the Year award to Shaquem Griffin,” Witten said. “Shaquem embodies everything that is great about college football and everything that makes a great leader. He has obviously overcome a lot of adversity to accomplish all that he has, and the fact that he gives so much of himself to the community makes him even more impressive.”
Witten was named the 2012 Walter Payton Man of the Year in recognition of his off-the-field community service and playing excellence. He has made 11 Pro Bowl appearances, tying the Cowboys’ record and is the franchise’s all-time leader in games played (239), receptions (1,152) and receiving yards (12,448). Witten played three seasons at Tennessee and totaled 797 yards and 68 receptions, becoming one of the nation’s best all-around tight ends as a junior.
In addition to winning the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, Witten has also received the Bart Starr Award, Pro Football Weekly’s Humanitarian of the Year Award, Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP and the Bob Lilly Award, among many others. All of those honors have recognized his work in the community, achievements on the field and dedication to his teammates and family.
As the winner of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year, Griffin will also receive a $10,000 contribution in his name to his school’s athletic scholarship fund. The contribution will be made by Jason Witten’s SCORE Foundation, the official charity of Jason and his wife Michelle. The SCORE Foundation, founded in 2007, has positively impacted tens of thousands of children and families in Texas and Tennessee over the last 10 years. The foundation operates its nationally-recognized SCOREkeepers program, which places trained male mentors on staff to work with children at family violence shelters, at nine shelters in the two states. SCORE has also operated a weekend food backpack program for disadvantaged children in North Texas, opened Jason Witten Learning Centers in five different Boys & Girls Clubs and opened the Jason and Michelle Witten Emergency Waiting Room at the Niswonger Children’s Hospital in Johnson City, Tenn.
UT Athletics
