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OJ Howard Selected As Buccaneers Ed Block Courage Award Recipient

VIA TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS COMMUNICATIONS -

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced today that tight end O.J. Howard was selected by his teammates as the team’s 2021 Ed Block Courage Award recipient.

Ed Block Courage Award recipients symbolize professionalism, great strength and dedication, in addition to being community role models. Each year, the Ed Block Courage Awards honors those National Football League players who exemplify commitments to the principles of sportsmanship and courage. This award is unique in that the recipients are selected solely by a vote of their teammates.

“I’m extremely grateful to be selected as the Buccaneers nominee for this prestigious award,” said Howard. “It’s always rewarding to look back and see how much progress I’ve made after overcoming a major setback. For me this is the cherry on top of what unwavering faith, dedication and resiliency can bring along the journey of life. I’m forever thankful.”

Howard, who just finished his fifth NFL season – all with Tampa Bay – is one of 32 NFL players who will be honored at the 44th Annual Ed Block Courage Awards. This year will see a hybrid event including a Virtual Gala and in-person events hosted at the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel in Baltimore on April 2-3.

In his five seasons with Tampa Bay, Howard has played in 59 games, with 46 starts, catching 119 passes for 1,737 yards (14.6 avg.) and 15 touchdowns. This season, Howard returned from an Achilles injury suffered in 2020 to play in all 17 regular season games and both postseason contests, contributing to a Buccaneers team that won the NFC South for the first time since 2007 and posted a franchise-record 13 regular season wins. Howard was part of an offense that ranked second in the NFL in points scored, second in third-down conversion rate, second in net yards and fourth in passing yards, establishing new franchise records in each category.

Off the field, Howard is an active member of the community, regularly supporting families in Tampa Bay as well as in his hometown of Prattville, Alabama. In 2017, he founded the Got Da Juice 1K Foundation with the mission to empower youth through sports and education, providing programs and initiatives that help children achieve their goals. For more than four years, the foundation has hosted youth football camps and community events that help children succeed, including the donation of sports equipment, backpacks and scholarships. In 2020, Howard donated meals to families in need of food assistance during the pandemic, and he also helped present college scholarships on behalf of the team to young women pursuing a career in sports. Over his career, the Buccaneer has visited local children’s hospitals, greeted service members at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, participated in school visits with teammates, and attended charity events including the annual Sneaker Soiree to benefit the Tampa Bay Sports Commission. Throughout each season, the tight end has also donated tickets to local charity groups as part of “OJ’s Juice Pack,” providing a special gameday experience for the community’s youth.

PHOTO COURTESY GETTY IMAGES


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