Steelhammer earns Pat Tillman Award at East-West Shrine Game
1/20/2017 12:00:00 AM | Football
Air Force senior Weston Steelhammer was named the recipient of the East-West Shrine Game Pat Tillman Award winner at the game's banquet Friday in St. Petersburg, Fla. The award is presented to the player who best exemplifies character, intelligence, sportsmanship and service. The award is about a student-athlete's achievements and conduct, both on and off the field.
Steelhammer, along with teammate Jalen Robinette, will be participating in the game on Saturday, Jan. 21, at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. The East-West Shrine game was the nation's first college all-star football game.
Steelhammer earned third-team All-American honors by the Associated Press and second-team honors by The Sporting News this season. He was also a finalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy for community service, leadership and on-field performance. Steelhammer is the first Air Force player to earn first-team all-conference honors three straight years, earning the award from 2014-16. He led the team in tackles for the second straight season with 80.
Steelhammer also led the Mountain West and ranked third nationally in interceptions with seven. He is the Air Force record holder for career interceptions with 18 which ranks second in Mountain West history. He recorded the record-setting interception in Air Force's 45-21 victory over South Alabama in the Arizona Bowl. Steelhammer was named the game's outstanding defensive player, leading Air Force in tackles with five and also forcing a fumble. The Falcons finished the season 10-3 overall, completed just the seventh 10-win season in school history. Air Force closed the season with a six-game winning streak which is the fifth-longest in the nation.
"Weston has the courage, sense of sacrifice and care of others to be an outstanding Air Force officer," Air Force Head Coach Troy Calhoun said.
Pat Tillman was a professional football player who walked away from the game after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 to join the U.S. Army and fight for our country.
A stand-out at Arizona State University, Tillman was named Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year as a senior before being drafted by the Arizona Cardinals. After just three years in the NFL, Tillman turned down a multi-million dollar contract offer from the Cardinals to enlist in the U.S. Army.
Tillman served multiple tours of duty, including Operation Iraqi Freedom, before he was killed during a mission in Afghanistan in 2004.
