Philadelphia's Malcolm Jenkins Selected as 2017 Byron "Whizzer" White Award Winner
Eagles safety earns NFLPA’s highest honor for his outreach programs across multiple cities
HOUSTON – Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins has been named the recipient of the 2017 Byron “Whizzer” White Award. In recognition, the NFL Players Association will donate $100,000 to The Malcolm Jenkins Foundation (TMJF).
Jenkins was announced as this year’s winner at the players union’s annual Super Bowl press conference on Thursday. The Whizzer White Award is the highest honor the NFLPA can bestow on a player for his profound dedication to positively impacting his team, community and country in the spirit of the former Supreme Court Justice for which the award is named.
Since his foundation was established in 2010, the Pro Bowl defender and Super Bowl champion has poured his time and resources into providing programs and initiatives for underprivileged youth in Louisiana, New Jersey, Ohio and Philadelphia. This past year, Jenkins helped provide nearly 300 families with Thanksgiving meals, presented 13 scholarships to college-bound seniors through his Project REWARDS program and sought to improve race relations within the country by joining four other NFL players in meeting with Congressional members this past November during the season.
Jenkins’ influence also stretches across the league. As the player representative for the Eagles, the veteran defender stands as a strong, respected voice among his teammates and fellow NFL players.
“It's through the dedication and support of others that The Malcolm Jenkins Foundation is able to make a positive difference and have an enduring impact in the lives of thousands of youth and families that need it the most. And our work is far from finished,” said Jenkins, who has been a Whizzer White Award finalist in two of the last three years. “I'm truly grateful to my teammates and the NFLPA for this honor. This generous donation will go a long way in helping the foundation fulfill its mission, by providing quality programs that meet the ever-growing needs of young people in our underserved communities."
The five finalists’ applications were reviewed and voted on by a panel of judges across labor, media, sport, service and charity. The committee included Charlie Batch (former NFL player and 2013 winner of the Whizzer White award), Ryan Clark (former NFL player and NFLPA Executive Committee member), Kelly Love (VP of Corporate Strategy and Business Development at Delta Private Jets), Tom Pelissero (NFL writer for USA Today), Marc Pollick (President and founder of The Giving Back Fund) and D. Taylor (President of UNITE HERE).
Each team’s locker room was given the opportunity to nominate players during the regular season, and each submission was given up to $5,000 for the player’s foundation or charity of his choice. An internal NFLPA committee narrowed the pool of applicants down to five – Jenkins, Johnny Hekker (Los Angeles Rams), Rashad Jennings (New York Giants), Clinton McDonald (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Russell Wilson (Seattle Seahawks). The other finalists will receive additional contributions to their foundations or a charity of their choice.
For more information on the Byron “Whizzer” White Award, visit NFLPA.com/whizzerwhite.
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About the NFL Players Association:
The National Football League Players Association is the union for professional football players in the National Football League. Established in 1956, the NFLPA has a long history of assuring proper recognition and representation of players’ interests. The NFLPA has shown that it will do whatever is necessary to assure that the rights of players are protected—including ceasing to be a union, if necessary, as it did in 1989. In 1993, the NFLPA again was officially recognized as the union representing the players, and negotiated a landmark Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NFL. The current CBA will govern the sport through 2020. Learn more at www.nflpa.com.