JACKSONVILLE, Fla. –The Jacksonville Jaguars have nominated 11th-year LB Paul Poslusznyfor the 2017 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award, given annually to a player who demonstrates the qualities of on-field sportsmanship-- including fair play, respect for the game and opponents – and integrity in competition, the club announced today.

"When you talk about a sportsmanship award, the name Paul Posluszny must come to mind," said teammate and fellow LB Telvin Smith. "He is what we call a man's man, a gentleman's gentleman. When you talk about him on the field, I don't think you can find another player who plays the game with more class, more effort, more attitude; everything that you would want your middle linebacker or any NFL player to represent. That is what you will find in the make-up of Paul Posluszny."

Posluszny, 33, has played in 134 career games since originally being drafted by Buffalo in the second round (34th overall) of the 2007 NFL Draft. In those 134 career appearances, Posluszny has appeared on 8,362 defensive snaps and has been penalized only nine times, including just one unsportsmanlike conduct foul.

"I have played with Frank Gore and Larry Fitzgerald and as soon as I came to this team I knew right away that Paul Posluszny was a special guy," said DE Calais Campbell. "He impacts this team in more ways than one, especially on the field, by making everyone around him better. He approaches the game the right way. He loves the game and he is a guy that brings out the best in everyone who is around him."

The Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award is a league-wide honor established in 2014 to honor Art Rooney Sr., the founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Past winners include RB Frank Gore (2016), S Charles Woodson (2015) and WR Larry Fitzgerald (2014).

The winner of the NFL Sportsmanship Award is determined by a vote of current NFL players. A panel of former players from the NFL Legends Community will select eight finalists (four in the AFC and four in the NFC) from the 32 nominees. The panel is comprised of Warrick Dunn, Curtis Martin, Karl Mecklenburg and Leonard Wheeler. The eight finalists will be listed on the Pro Bowl ballot under the NFL Sportsmanship Award category when players vote on Friday, December 15. From the eight finalists, each team's players will submit a consensus vote of their choice for the winner. As in Pro Bowl voting, a team cannot vote for its own player.