Vilma Named Winner of Ed Block Courage Award

It is a time to give thanks, and few players on the Saints’ roster have more to be thankful for than Saints middle linebacker Jonathan Vilma.

Vilma, the team leader in tackles through 11 games with 102 stops, is extremely thankful to be back on the gridiron in 2008 and as a member of the Saints.

“I love being here and being a Saint,” said the University of Miami product.

The sentiment from the Saints’ locker room appears to be mutual, as Vilma was recently voted by his teammates as the Saints’ 2008 Ed Block Courage Award winner, which is given annually to a player that has persevered though adversity.

In Vilma’s case, his return to playing at a high level comes on the heels of a 2007 season with the New York Jets that saw his season end mid-through the season due to a knee injury that required a portion of bone to be removed.

“There were some questions, but I knew I could get back to the level I was accustomed to playing at,” Vilma said. “It required a lot of hard work and rehabilitation and listening to what the doctors and the trainers said every step of the way. There were times I wanted to push it, but thanks to Scottie Patton, his staff and the doctors, I was able to return.”

The Saints in a trade with the Jets early in the 2008 off-season acquired Vilma after he met with Saints doctors, Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis and Head Coach Sean Payton, among others. Vilma spoke about his passion and desire to return to the level of play that earned him the 2004 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and a spot in the 2005 Pro Bowl.

“I never doubted my desire,” Vilma said. “I am just thankful that I was given the opportunity to come to New Orleans and be a part of this team.”

In addition to his team-high 102 tackles, Vilma also has an interception, six passes defensed and a fumble recovery and seldom leaves the field when the Saints’ defense is on the field.

Each year the Ed Block Courage Awards honor those players who overcome adversity on the field, possess strong character and a will to endure life’s trials, and who continuously strive for excellence on and off the field. Ed Block Courage Award recipients are selected by a vote of their teammates.

“I believe anytime your teammates think enough of you to vote for you for an award like this is a true honor,’ Vilma said. “There is a lot of very high character players in our locker room and I’m proud to represent the Saints.”

All 32 of this year’s Ed Block Courage Award recipients - one from each team - will be honored at a banquet next spring in Baltimore. Proceeds from the event benefit abused children of The Courage House National Support Network.

(neworleanssaints.com)