Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is the Steelers 2007 Ed Block Courage Award recipient, an award voted on by his teammates.  

“It is an honor that your teammates vote for it and it means a lot coming from them,” said Roethlisberger. “I am happy to be the recipient of the award as the come back guy. Hopefully I can be a role model for the kids as that has always been a goal of mine.”

The award is presented annually to a Steelers player who has fought back from an injury or tough situation to return to the field. Last season Roethlisberger was in a motorcycle accident in June that left him hospitalized and many fearing his football future. He remarkably came back from that unscathed, only to have to an emergency appendectomy before the start of the season.

“I guess the other side of it is it looks like I am the one that came back from the worst injury with the accident and everything,” said Roethlisberger. “But it means my teammates respect the hard work you put in to try to get back and also for the things you do in the community.”

One player from every NFL team is selected as a winner and are honored at a national luncheon in Baltimore. Click for the complete list of winners.