CLEVELAND — Cleveland Browns safety Grant Delpit was named the team's 2021 Ed Block Courage Award recipient after being selected for the award by his teammates.
The Ed Block Courage Award—named after Ed Block, the former head athletic trainer of the Baltimore Colts—is given annually to a member of each of the 32 NFL teams who "best exemplifies the qualities of Block, based on courage, compassion, commitment and community.
Delpit's journey in the NFL has not been an easy one, with injury hindering the start of his career. Drafted by the Browns in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Delpit was slated to be a major piece to the defense before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury in training camp that year.
Recovering from an Achilles injury is no small feat, but Delpit pushed himself hard through his rehab and was ready to come back strong to start the 2021 season. But a lingering hamstring injury early in the season made his return even more difficult.
Delpit worked through injury and upon making his NFL debut, displayed the skill and athleticism that was projected of him coming out of college. In his very first game, Delpit notched six tackles and a sack-fumble.
Coming out of the Browns' bye week, Delpit has played in 11 games, starting in three, and in that time has recorded 30 tackles, a sack, an interception, three passes defended, and a forced fumble while also notching five special teams stops.
While his tough start in the NFL could have been disheartening for Delpit, he didn't let injury keep him down. Even while on injured reserve, Delpit was looking for ways to help out in the community—a goal he continues to do still.
In September, Delpit partnered with The Goldie Legacy and Meijer through the Browns' First and Ten program to take a group of 30 local students on a shopping spree. The kids got to shop the isles of Meijer with their parents and guardians, picking out sporting gear, school supplies, clothes, toys, and any other items they wanted or needed for themselves, family, and friends. Each child received a gift card for $150 dollars and two special gift bags provided by Delpit and Meijer.
RELATED: Browns S Grant Delpit takes local students on shopping spree at Meijer
Delpit also donated $10,000 to refurbish a woman's home in Houston, Texas during the offseason after it was destroyed by a winter storm in February.
Seeing his journey through injury while continuing to be a positive force in the community, Delpit's teammates voted him for the Ed Block Courage Award.
"It was a great feeling being recognized by my teammates, training staff, and coaches, it's a crazy injury to go through and I'm blessed to be where I am," Delpit said.
Past Browns recipients of the award include:
1984 WR Willis Adam
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
RELATED: Browns RB Nick Chubb named Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award nominee for 3rd year straight
Camryn Justice is a digital content producer at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on Twitter @camijustice.
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