Former NFL Head Coach and Player Herm Edwards is Walter Camp’s “Man of the Year”

Former NFL player and head coach and current ESPN NFL studio analyst Herm Edwards(San Diego State) is the recipient of the Walter Camp Football Foundation’s 2012 “Man of the Year” award.

The Walter Camp “Man of the Year” award honors an individual who has been closely associated with the game of football as a player, coach or close attendant to the game. He must have attained a measure of success and been a leader in his chosen profession. He must have contributed to the public service for the benefit of his community, country and his fellow man. He must have an impeccable reputation for integrity and must be dedicated to our American Heritage and the philosophy of Walter Camp. 

Edwards joins a distinguished list of former “Man of the Year” winners, including Roger Staubach (Navy), Gale Sayers (Kansas), Dick Butkus (Illinois), John Elway (Stanford) and last year’s recipient Harry Carson (South Carolina State).

“Herm Edwards was an inspirational leader on the football field, as both a player and head coach, but his unselfish passion and devotion to help others makes him a worthy recipient of the Man of the Year Award,” said Foundation president John Marks.

A native of Seaside, Cal., Edwards graduated from San Diego State in 1976 with a degree in criminal justice. During his senior year, Edwards helped the Aztecs, then a Division I independent, to a 10-1 record and was named as the team’s Most Inspirational Player.

Signed as a free agent, Edwards spent 10 years in the NFL, mostly with the Philadelphia Eagles. He also played for the Los Angeles Rams and Atlanta Falcons. He recorded 38 career interceptions and held an Eagles’ record by playing in 135 consecutive regular-season games. He was a member of the Eagles’ Super Bowl team in 1980.

Following his playing career, Edwards became the first graduate of the NFL’s Minority Coaching Fellowship. He coached three seasons at San Jose State before joining the NFL ranks as a scout for the Kansas City Chiefs in 1990. He became the Chiefs’ defensive backs coach in 1992. He then moved on to Tampa Bay where he served five seasons under Tony Dungy as the assistant head coach and defensive backs coach.

Edwards then served eight years as a head coach — New York Jets (2001-05) and Kansas City Chiefs (2006-08). He led his teams to four playoff appearances, becoming one of only four head coaches to lead two different teams to playoff berths in his first season.

He joined ESPN in 2009 and appears regularly on NFL Live, SportsCenter, Audibles and ESPN Radio, while also contributing to ESPN’s NFL Draft coverage.

Edwards is active in numerous charitable and philanthropic activities, including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Herm Edwards Youth Foundation, which he created in 1985 with the goal of making a direct impact on the lives of underprivileged children.

He also co-wrote a motivational book called “You Play to Win the Game – Leadership Lessons for Success On and Off the Field.” Edwards and his wife Lia have three children.

Edwards as well as all of the major award winners and members of the 2012 Walter Camp All-America team will be honored at the organization’s 46th annual national awards banquet on Saturday, January 12, 2013 at the Yale University Commons in New Haven. The Foundation is offering a “Holiday Ticket Promotion” for the National Awards Dinner. Buy two tickets for $400 (you save $150). Please call (203) 288-CAMP (288-2267) for more information.