Chase Claypool has been voted as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ rookie of the year, winning the coveted Joe Greene Award. Ben Roethlisberger has been named this year’s winner of “The Chief” Award, given to the player who “best exemplifies the spirit of cooperation with the media that he embodied.”
Claypool has had a fantastic rookie season. Through 15 games, he’s compiled 57 receptions for 772 yards and ten touchdowns. Those ten scores are one shy of tying the franchise rookie record held by Franco Harris and Louis Lipps. Claypool needs five receptions to set the team rookie record for catches, currently held by Troy Edwards’ 61 in 1999.
“I just wanted to say, I appreciate everyone who voted for me,” Claypool told reporters later in the afternoon. “Definitely a big honor, especially looking at the people who’ve won it in the past. And being named after arguably the best Steeler in history. So super, super cool. Hopefully a lot more years to come.”
Claypool is the first offensive Steeler to win the award since JuJu Smith-Schuster in 2017. He’s now the 7th Steelers’ wide receiver to take home the trophy since the award was created in 1984. Devin Bush won it last year for Pittsburgh.
Roethlisberger holds weekly Wednesday meetings with the media. In this challenging year of Zoom calls and virtual discussions, he’s always been good for giving meaningful, complete answers. The Steelers as a whole have been accommodating in making players available, something Mike Tomlin preached from the very start of the season.
This is the second time in Roethlisberger’s career he’s won the award, the first coming back in 2010. Cam Heyward was named The Chief Award winner last season.
