Brandon Copeland Named 2020 NFLPA Alan Page Community Award Winner
New York Jets linebacker earns NFLPA’s highest honor for his outreach efforts
BRANDON COPELAND NAMED 2020 ALAN PAGE COMMUNITY AWARD WINNER
New York Jets linebacker earns NFLPA’s highest honor for his outreach efforts
MIAMI – The NFL Players Association announced Brandon Copeland as the recipient of the 2020 Alan Page Community Award at its annual Super Bowl press conference on Thursday. In recognition, the NFLPA will donate $100,000 to Copeland’s Beyond the Basics foundation.
“Receiving this award from the NFLPA and my peers is truly humbling and serves as one of those moments where God lets you know that you are on the right path,” the New York Jets linebacker said. “As I have said before, I hope that the legacy I leave here on Earth is much bigger than just being an NFL player. That is the driving force behind why I work so hard to make a positive impact on the people I cross paths with.”
As the NFLPA’s highest honor, the Alan Page Community Award annually recognizes one player who demonstrates a profound dedication to positively impacting his team’s city and communities across the country, following in the spirit of the Pro Football Hall of Famer and social pioneer for whom the honor is named.
This winter, Copeland demonstrated the power of teamwork and giving. The five-year veteran linebacker put a twist on his annual “December to Remember” by enlisting the help of 11 active and former NFL players across the country: Josh Bynes, Joel Gamble, Duron Harmon, Kerry Hyder, Cam Lynch, Devin & Jason McCourty, Kevin Minter, Kyle Van Noy, Tahir Whitehead and Avery Williamson.
The collection of athletes banded together to host seven different shopping sprees for the holiday season in New York/New Jersey, Tampa, Baltimore, Dallas, Boston and Oakland on December, 16, 17 and 20.
The Week 16 Community MVP kicked off the initiative with a pizza party, during which he surprised 101 kids in the New York/New Jersey area each with a $200 gift card. Through Copeland’s foundation, his NFL friends were able to follow suit, ultimately providing gift cards to more than 300 foster and underprivileged children across the country.
This holiday initiative is one of several done by Copeland’s Beyond The Basics non-profit, which works to empower young individuals to maximize their potential by exposing them to enriching experiences, opportunities and people. Last year, Copeland held his fourth annual youth football camp in his hometown of Baltimore. The 400-plus participants not only learned about the sport but also about the importance of giving back by packing 1,000 book bags with school supplies and hygiene kits.
In March, Copeland plans to host The Basketball Classic: Celebrity Edition at Barclays Center. The outreach effort is meant to fill the stands with people who may not be able to afford an event at the arena so that they can enjoy the charity game as well as a Brooklyn Nets contest that same evening.
“I look forward to using the NFLPA’s generous donation to continue empowering people, whether it be through community events or taking the time to have a simple conversation,” Copeland said. “Honors and moments like this are a humbling sign that the work of our foundation is making a real impact.”
Copeland was chosen as this year’s Alan Page Community Award winner from among five finalists following an electronic ballot vote that was open to all of his NFL peers from across the league. The finalists – Copeland, Geno Atkins (Cincinnati Bengals), Brandon Carr (Baltimore Ravens), Demario Davis (New Orleans Saints) – were selected by an external committee of judges across labor, media, sport and charity from among the 18 Community MVPs awarded during the 2019 regular season.
For more information on the Alan Page Community Award, please visit NFLPA.com/community-mvp.
Previous Alan Page Community Award Winners*:
2019 Andrew Whitworth, Los Angeles Rams
2018 Chris Long, Philadelphia Eagles
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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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.