Cleveland Browns' LB Anthony Walker Jr. has been selected by his teammates as the Browns 2023 Ed Block Courage Award recipient. The Ed Block Courage Award is given annually to a member of each of the 32 NFL teams who best exemplifies the qualities of Ed Block – the former head athletic trainer of the Baltimore Colts – based on courage, compassion, commitment and community.
A Northwestern graduate, Walker was originally drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2017 NFL Draft, where he played three seasons before joining the Browns as an unrestricted free agent in 2021. In his second season serving as a team captain, Walker continues to make an impact on the field as well as in the community and was also named the Browns 2023 nominee for the Walter Peyton NFL Man of the Year Award this year.
In 2022, Walker started the first three games of the season before sustaining a season-ending injury in Week 3 against the Steelers. Walker thought his football career might be done at that point but he spent the rest of the 2022 season at the Browns' CrossCountry Mortgage campus where he continued to workout, rehab and fight his way back to football. Walker continued to make sure his presence was felt throughout the team and remained a leader for his teammates, showing up every day and helping his team in any way he could.
After 11 and a half months on the sidelines, Walker was named a team captain for the second straight season and has started all 11 games he's played in this year compiling 37 tackles (16 solo), four passes defensed and one fumble recovery.
Walker's leadership continues off the field in the community where just this year he has volunteered at several community events and sometimes attends multiple per week. The Browns focus on three community pillars: youth football, education and social justice. Walker has spent a majority of his time and energy on his off days focusing on the three community pillars of the Browns: youth football, education and social justice and how he can impact the community in these spaces.
As the first-ever Stay in the Game! Attendance Network ambassador, Walker is the face for the Browns Foundation's flagship program, which encourages students to stay in school while decreasing chronic absenteeism. Education is extremely important to Walker, as his father was both an educator and a football coach – instilling in him the importance of exceeding in both academics and athletics. In connection with the ambassador role, Walker works with our Foundation team on promotional videos for school attendance and he participates in most of the Stay in the Game! school visits. Walker Jr. hosted a Turkey Bowl Classic for kids and their families from Stay in the Game! Network district East Cleveland City Schools at the Browns facility the week of Thanksgiving, the kids were invited based on good attendance and played in a flag football tournament followed by a Thanksgiving meal.
Walker is also passionate about the social justice space, serving as a judge on the panel for two of the Browns JumpStart Small Business Impact Showcases. In the Browns' second year of its partnership with JumpStart, the stadium has hosted multiple Impact Showcases, highlighting small, minority-owned businesses in a shark tank-style competition for funding.
"I'm humbled and honored to have been chosen by my teammates for this award," Walker said. "I'm grateful to have earned the opportunity to lead this group of guys and thankful for everyone around the organization who supported and encouraged me along the way through the rehabilitation process as I worked my way back this season."
Each NFL team participating in the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation program selects a "Courage House" that supports victims of abuse, violence and neglect. The Browns' Courage House is Providence House, a crisis nursery committed to child abuse prevention and family preservation in the Cleveland area. With this honor, Walker becomes an Ambassador of Courage for victims of abuse, violence and neglect.
Walker will be recognized as the Browns' Ed Block Courage Award recipient during Providence House's 28th Annual Deck the House Benefit Auction at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Tuesday, Dec. 5 beginning at 6 p.m..
Deck the House is Providence House's annual fundraiser which protects at-risk children and supports families through crisis, strengthening communities to end child abuse and neglect. For more information, visit www.provhouse.org.
Cleveland Browns Ed Block Courage Award winners:
1984 WR Willis Adams
1985 DE Carl Hairston
1986 TE Ozzie Newsome
1987 RB Earnest Byner
1988 LB Eddie Johnson
1989 T Cody Risien
1990 RB Kevin Mack
1991 CB Mark Harper
1992 WR Lawyer Tillman
1993 WR Patrick Rowe
1994 LB Carl Banks
1995 DB Bennie Thompson
1999 DE Derrick Alexander
2000 LB Jamir Miller
2001 OG Jeremy McKinney
2002 TE Mark Campbell
2003 DL Courtney Brown
2004 RB Lee Suggs
2005 LB Kenard Lang
2006 K Phil Dawson
2007 DB Gary Baxter
2008 WR Joe Jurevicius
2009 WR Mike Furrey
2010 LB Eric Barton
2011 LB D'Qwell Jackson
2012 P Reggie Hodges
2013 DB T.J. Ward
2014 DL Desmond Bryant
2015 OL Alex Mack
2016 DB Joe Haden
2017 OL Kevin Zeitler
2018 DB Terrance Mitchell
2019 S Juston Burris
2020 RB Nick Chubb
2021 S Grant Delpit
2022 T Jack Conklin
2023 LB Anthony Walker Jr.
About Browns Give Back:
The Cleveland Browns are committed to championing youth football, education and social justice in our community and throughout Ohio. To learn more visit, https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/community/.
About Providence House
Providence House – Ohio's first crisis nursery – has cared for more than 8,000 families and children in crisis, living for days, weeks or years without the support they need to help get them back on their feet. For nearly 40 years, Providence House has protected at-risk children, empowered families in crisis and built safer communities for every child. Their nationally recognized, evidenced-based model prevents child abuse and neglect, reduces system involvement and foster care placements and keeps families safe, stable and together. Visit www.provhouse.org for more information.
