Jaguars nominate Jarrod Wilson for ‘Athletes in Action Bart Starr Award’

The Jacksonville Jaguars have nominated safety Jarrod Wilson for the Athletes in Action Bart Starr Award, an award that honors the NFL player who best exemplifies outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field and in the community.

“The Award is named after Bart Starr who, in addition to being in the NFL Hall of Fame, was selected as MVP in Super Bowls I and II. The award is voted on by players around the league and will be presented at the 2021 Athletes in Action Super Bowl Breakfast on Feb. 6, 2021.”

Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2016, Wilson has saw his career grow both on and away from the gridiron. Starting for a second-straight season, Wilson has played and started seven games this far this year, and worked his way back from a Week 1 hamstring injury that saw him miss four games.

He was named a captain of the team this season for the first time in his career.

“In 2016, Wilson launched the Jarrod Wilson Foundation with a focus on giving back to communities through career and college readiness, scholarship programs, community service and athletics,” the Jaguars said in a press release today.

“Since then, Wilson hosted the first annual Jarrod Wilson Football Camp in his hometown of Akron, Ohio in 2019, when he welcomed more than 100 kids to learn about not only the fundamentals of the game but also leadership and the importance of education and family. For this year’s NFL My Cause My Cleats initiative, Wilson is representing his foundation.”

Wilson has been an active member of the Jacksonville community, and has made a number of visits to Wolfson Children’s Hospital, and has hosted events at the Hubbard House, a local domestic violence shelter along with participating in activities to support families impacted by cancer during the team’s Crucial Catch initiative.

“We have had Jarrod [Wilson] since we got him as a college free agent. We got to really see him mature and grow over the last three, four years that we’ve had Jarrod. He’s a tremendous person. He takes control of that room. He’s a great professional,” Jaguars defensive coordinator Todd Wash said on Thursday.

“He was that way early on coming out and he understood what he needed to do to develop himself as an individual and to just naturally turn into a leader within that group. He’s a great leader, not just in the group but obviously with our team.

“He’s a guy that as a coaching staff we can bounce things off of, we ask him questions. He’s a true leader and it’s great to see where he’s come from to obviously being nominated for this award.”

Wilson himself is humbled to receive consideration for the Bart Starr Award.

“I’m just thankful,” Wilson told the media on Thursday. “Don’t really want to toot my own horn or nothing like that. But, just thankful and always willing to give back and do what I can, so I’m just appreciative of the nomination.”

Wilson remembers when former teammate, defensive lineman Calais Campbell won the award in 2018, understanding the honor it is to receive it.

“Really big award, and it’s just an honor to be represented both on and off the field in a positive light.”