The 2014 NFL season will conclude Sunday evening with Super Bowl XLIX but Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown still continues to receive awards for the great season he had.
Brown, who finished the regular season with 129 catches, second most for a single season in league history; and 1,698 receiving yards, has been named the Dapper Dan Sportsman of the Year, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. He’ll receive the award at the 79th annual Dapper Dan Dinner & Sports Auction which will take place Feb. 10 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Downtown Pittsburgh.
“It’s an honor. It’s been a big charity event for a great cause,” Brown said. “It’s something special in Pittsburgh and it’s a great honor to achieve that award.”
Brown will be the first Steelers player to win the award since former running back Jerome Bettis in 2005.
The Dapper Dan Charities were founded in 1936 by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette sports editor Al Abrams. The organization has six fundraising events throughout the year and is headlined by their Sportsman of the Year Dinner.
The name Dapper Dan originated from an off-hand remark made by George “Red” Lai, a restaurant owner in Pittsburgh and one of Abrams’ friends. As the story goes, Abrams wanted to attract membership to their group from the sportsmen and businessmen of Pittsburgh. Those men were always dapperly dressed.
“We could call them Dapper Dans,” Lai said.
