Andrew Luck named Colts’ recipient of 2016 Ed Block Courage Award

Andrew Luck has been named the Colts’ recipient of the 2016 Ed Block Courage Award by his teammates, the team announced today.

The award is given out each year to a member of each team who exemplifies sportsmanship and courage. Players on each team vote to name the recipient, and then the winners from all 32 teams are honored at a banquet in Baltimore in March. The award is named after former Baltimore Colts athletic trainer Ed Block, who was with the team as trainer from 1954-1977 and then after that as trainer emeritus until his death in 1983.

Luck has proven to be a tremendous player on the field for the Colts and a great influence off the field as well, getting involved particularly with the Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University and being a frequent visitor and spokesman. He’s also been involved in supporting the armed forces as he took a USO Tour in 2015, and he also has started the Andrew Luck Book Club to help promote reading and the importance of reading.

Luck joins a notable list of Colts to have won the award, joining the likes of Joe Reitz (2015), Dwayne Allen (2014), Cory Redding (2013), Antoine Bethea (2012), Robert Mathis (2011), Dwight Freeney (2010), Marlin Jackson (2009), Jeff Saturday (2008), Ryan Lilja (2007), Reggie Wayne (2006), Cato June (2005), Gary Brackett (2004), Chad Bratzke (2003), Rob Morris (2002), Peyton Manning (2001), and Bernard Whittington (2000) dating back to 2000. It’s a well-deserved honor for Luck to join that group of players, a group he fits right in with due to the example he sets both on and off the field.

“We introduced him, Joe Reitz introduced him to the team, on Monday when we got back after we had practice,” head coach Chuck Pagano said today of Luck in his press conference. “More than deserving. I mean, he’s the epitome of a consummate pro. Great team leader. What he does on the field, what he does off the field, the way he serves and the way he gives back, I mean that’s all we talk about around here is team first and self second and doing the right thing on and off the field. Coming back from what he came back from, I mean he’s just the epitome of that award and certainly well-deserved.”