THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – The Rams have given out four team awards, voted on by the players. Defensive tackle Aaron Donald has been named the team's most valuable player for the second straight year, receiving the Daniel F. Reeves Memorial Award.
The two-time reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, Donald has a team-high 12.5 sacks across 15 games this season. He's also added two forced fumbles to his stat line while accounting for the defense's only safety this season.
Safety Taylor Rapp receives the Carroll Rosenbloom Memorial Award, given to the team's rookie of the year. The second-round pick out of Washington is L.A.'s third-leading tackler with 93 total through 15 games while playing nearly 73 percent of its defensive snaps in his first professional season. His first career interception was a pick-six.
Safety Eric Weddle receives the Carl Ekern Spirit of the Game Award, which is given to the player who bast exemplifies sportsmanship, ethic, and commitment to teammates. The 14-year veteran is the Rams' second-leading tackler with 101 total in his first season in Los Angeles while playing nearly 93 percent of L.A.'s defensive snaps.
Wide receiver Cooper Kupp is the team recipient of the Ed Block Courage Award, which is given to a player who is a role model of inspiration, sportsmanship, and courage. The former Eastern Washington star has rebounded from last year's season-ending ACL injury by leading the Rams in receptions (87), receiving yards (1,062) and receiving touchdowns (9) this season.
The Ed Block Courage Award Foundation, Inc. holds the Ed Block Courage Awards Gala every March where one player from each team, voted on by their teammates, for their courage and inspiration throughout their season. According to the foundation's website, those 32 players travel to Baltimore, where they are honored with a trophy and participate in two community outreaches: with the local at-risk youth at a designated Baltimore City Rec Center and with the abused children at St. Vincent's Villa (Baltimore Ravens Courage House). The events aim to inspire not only the local youth, but also the players to get involved with the Courage Houses in their local communities.
The Daniel F. Reeves Memorial Award was established in 1969 in honor of the former owner of the Rams, Dan Reeves, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967. Reeves owned the Rams from 1941-71 and claimed World Championships in 1945 and 1951. He was the first to integrate football in the modern era with the signing of Woody Strode and Kenny Washington in 1946.
The Carroll Rosenbloom Memorial Award is given to the team's Rookie of the Year and was established following the passing of former owner Carroll Rosenbloom in 1979. Rosenbloom became the owner of the Rams when he orchestrated an unprecedented franchise trade in 1972.
Established in 1990, the Carl Ekern Spirit of the Game Award is given to the player who best exemplifies sportsmanship, ethic, and commitment to his teammates. Those traits were displayed by former Rams linebacker Carl Ekern, who was killed in an automobile accident in 1990. Ekern was a starter for the Rams from 1982-88 and earned an invitation to the Pro Bowl in 1986.
