North Texas Native Kevin Mathis honored as Falcons' Ed Block Courage Award Winner
Monday, March 19, 2007
Colleyville, TX, March 19, 2007---Falcons Safety Kevin Mathis, who returned to the club in 2006 after missing the entire 2005 season due to injury, will be honored as Atlanta's recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award in ceremonies in Baltimore on March 20.
The Courage Award is named after Ed Block, the longtime head athletic trainer of the Baltimore Colts who was a pioneer in his profession and a respected humanitarian. The Ed Block Foundation's efforts are endorsed by the NFL and the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS). The inaugural Ed Block Courage Award was presented in 1978 to Baltimore Colts defensive end, Joe Ehrmann. Following the Colts departure from Baltimore in 1984, the scope of the Award expanded to include one player from every team in the NFL.
Each recipient was selected by their teammates for displaying commitments to the principles of courage and sportsmanship, while serving as inspirations in their locker rooms. The accolade has become one of the most esteemed honors bestowed upon a player in the NFL, especially since the recipient is selected by his peers.
Recipients are often players who have overcome devastating injuries or tragedies in their personal lives to return to the top level of competition that is the NFL.
Mathis missed the entire 2005 season after a knee injury suffered in practice during the second week of the season. He returned to the Falcons for 2006 and had five tackles, one forced fumble, three passes defended and one special teams tackle at Carolina on Sept. 10 in his first action in a year.
He had a total of 18 tackles (16 solo), one sack, one forced fumble, four passes defended and three special teams tackles before he was lost for the season after a neck injury suffered on the opening kickoff at Detroit on Nov. 5.
For more than 28 years, the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation has celebrated the courageous efforts of players in the NFL while raising the nation's awareness of the plight of abused children in NFL communities. Through the Foundation's Courage House National Support Network for Kids, the organization has helped Courage Houses improve the lives of abused children across America. Named after the NFL team in a respective city, a Courage House is a facility that provides support/quality care for abused children in that community. Currently, more than half of the teams in the NFL support a Courage House, including Atlanta.
Mathis a native of Gainesville, Texas, excelled as a football player at Texas A & M University--Commerce, before beginning his NFL career in 1997 with the Dallas Cowboys. His charitable foundation annually provides thousands of dollars in scholarships to North Texas students and provides financial support to other worthwhile charitable causes. Mathis resides in Colleyville with his wife Kim and children Kennedy, Kaleb and Kole.
Contact: Chelle Wilson, Executive Director
P.O. Box 59
Colleyville, Texas 76034
Phone: 214.298.1665
www.kevinmathis23.com
chellewilson2000@aol.com
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