Though the trophy had been handed to the victor of the National Football Conference title game for more than three decades, it wasn't renamed after Halas, the NFC's first president, until 1984, soon after his death in October 1983. He was 92.
The trophy is an engraved silver bowl with a portrait of George Halas on one side and that of his son, Art, on the other. The younger Halas designed the piece.
In addition to being the father of modern football, George Halas also played center for the Chicago Bears from 1920-1924. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1965.
After George Halas died, his son Art took over the management of the NFL team in Chicago. In 1984, when the league changed the name of its championship trophy to honor both coaches and players, Art Halas asked that the prize be named for his father instead. Thus was born what is now known as the George Halas Award.
Previous winners include Don Shula (1985), Chuck Noll (1986), Joe Paterno (2007), and Tom Coughlin (2008).
The trophy is presented annually by the Professional Football Writers Association to a midseason nominee for coach of the year. It is chosen by vote of members of the association.
The trophy is awarded to the victor of the National Football League's NFC Championship Game. Defensive Player of the Year Award from the Newspaper Enterprise Association The Pro Football Writers Association bestows the George S. Halas Courage Award.
It is given in honor of the man who created the modern NFL team, the Chicago Bears. He also had a major influence on the development of football throughout the world.
The award was first presented in 1992 after the Chicago Bears defeated the Atlanta Falcons 24-14 in the NFC Championship game. Both players received votes from their peers for the award which is given annually to a champion player or coach. The winner is determined by voting from his or her fellow players in the NFL conference championship games.
The Bear's defensive end Richard Dent was selected for the award in 1993. Other winners include Mike Vrabel (Tennessee Titans), Paul Kruger (Chicago Bears), Charles Haley (San Francisco 49ers), Michael Strahan (New York Giants), Terrell Suggs (Baltimore Ravens), Patrick Willis (Oakland Raiders), and Jason Pierre-Paul (New York Giants).
Bears owner George Halas was a three-time winner of the award. He developed and implemented the original North American football code while serving as president of the NFL's Chicago Bears club.
George Halas Halas was a co-founder of the National Football League (NFL) in 1920 and one of the inaugural 17 honorees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963. A football player, coach, and manager, he helped guide the Chicago Bears to victory in the first NFL game played against an opposing team (the Decatur Staleys). He also coached at several other universities before starting his own professional football team. Halas died in January 2005 at the age of 100. The Pro Football Hall of Fame opened its doors in South Canton, Ohio, in August 1970. There is a museum that focuses on the history of the NFL and its players.
In addition to being a founder of the NFL, Halas was also responsible for many other important changes to the sport. He is considered by many to be the father of American football because of his contributions to developing the rules of the game. For example, he is known for creating the "halves" system, which ensures an even number of men on each side of the ball. This change made it possible for teams to advance the ball down field using forward passes instead of only backward passes. It is also because of Halas that we use the term "quarterback" instead of "center" or "guard".
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