‘History was made today:’ Dion Dawkins helps NFL implement new award for offensive lineman of the year
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For years, fans, analysts, and teams used the eye test, Pro Football Focus player grades, and offensive statistics to measure the best offensive lineman each season. Now, there is an award that will help one elite offensive lineman each year separate himself from the pack.
At the league’s spring meeting in Minnesota on Wednesday, the National Football League introduced the Protector of the Year Award, which will be given to the league’s best offensive lineman. The winner will be decided by a panel that includes former offensive linemen. No current players are allowed on the panel until they retire. To determine the winner, the panel will receive weekly analytics on snaps played, penalties, sacks allowed, pancake blocks, and one-on-one battles.
While quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers always get the credit on offense, they wouldn’t be able to have the success without their protectors up front. It’s always the offensive line that opens running lanes for the backs or protects the quarterback on passing plays. With the introduction of this award, some of the league’s best offensive linemen will finally get their flowers.
“We might not have all the fancy stats or end up on a highlight reel every week, but without us, there’s no rushing titles, passing titles, or touchdowns,” said Buffalo Bills left tackle Dion Dawkins in a statement on social media.
Dawkins, who is one of the league’s best tackles and has been to four consecutive Pro Bowls, has long been an advocate of an award for players at his position. He spoke freely on the topic in the playoffs last season, even mentioning that there wasn’t a Protector of the Year Award. NFL executive vice president of football operations Troy Vincent applauded Dawkins for his involvement in the process.
During an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show in March, Eisen asked Dawkins if he could change one rule in the NFL, what would it be? Instead of making a rule change, Dawkins wanted to introduce an award for best offensive lineman, once again calling it Protector of the Year.
Dawkins returned to the Rich Eisen Show on Thursday morning to discuss the award.
“It’s a cool deal to put thoughts in the air and then grab them and put them on paper,” Dawkins said. “It’s been a long time coming, we’ve been working on this for a little while, a lot of meetings, a lot of Zooms, a lot of time away, a lot of figuring out how this is going to go, but we got it done. The Protector of the Year award is now here, and now all the big boys around the world have something to look up to and go after, as they work out and play football.
“Whoever gets it first will go down in history, and this is the start of something great for football. I’m just honored that I’m a part of it, honored that I brought this to the table, and I’m honored that this will be a part of my legacy for the rest of my life. We did it for the big boys.”
Dawkins described on the show how he would pester NFL commissioner Rodger Goodell every time he saw him about implementing an award like the one announced at the league meetings this week. The process accelerated after Dawkins talked with Goodell at the commissioner’s Super Bowl party in New Orleans in February.
Former All-Pro tackle and current broadcaster Andrew Whitworth, along with former center and Super Bowl champion Shaun O’Hara, were also instrumental in the process of introducing the award.
“This award means everything to the big guys up front,” said Whitworth in a post on social media. “The Protector of the Year isn’t just about stats - it’s about the mindset, the grit, and leadership it takes to be the foundation of a football team. It’s time the men who lead, protect, and never ask for credit are recognized as the backbone of this game!”
