Pete Rozelle (Photo Credit: NFL)
The PFWA’s Pete Rozelle Award is given to the NFL club public relations staff that consistently strives for excellence in its dealings and relationships with the media.
The award is named for Rozelle, NFL commissioner from 1960-89, who started his distinguished career in sports PR roles as a student at both Compton (Calif.) Junior College and the University of San Francisco.
After two more years as USF’s assistant athletic director after graduation, he broke into the NFL as the PR director of the Los Angeles Rams from 1952-55.
Rozelle used his PR principles as commissioner to build relationships with the media during a period of unprecedented growth and challenge for the league.
PETE ROZELLE AWARD WINNERS (to the club public relations department that consistently strives for excellence in its dealings and relationships with the media):
NOTE: Year indicates when award was presented for the previous season
1990 — Denver Broncos
1991 — Pittsburgh Steelers
1992 — Seattle Seahawks
1993 — Miami Dolphins
1994 — Houston Oilers
1995 — New York Giants
1996 — Indianapolis Colts
1997 — St. Louis Rams
1998 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1999 — Miami Dolphins
2000 — Tennessee Titans
2001 — New York Giants
2002 — Philadelphia Eagles
2003 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2004 — Houston Texans
2005 — Philadelphia Eagles
2006 — Cincinnati Bengals
2007 — Houston Texans
2008 — Seattle Seahawks
2009 — Arizona Cardinals
2010 — Houston Texans
2011 — Baltimore Ravens
2012 — Houston Texans
2013 — Baltimore Ravens
2014 — Denver Broncos
2015 — Pittsburgh Steelers
2016 — Denver Broncos
2017 — Baltimore Ravens & Houston Texans
2018 — Minnesota Vikings
2019 — Los Angeles Rams
2020 — Indianapolis Colts
2021 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2022 — New England Patriots
2023 — Detroit Lions
YEARLY FINALISTS (winners in bold)
1990 — Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks
1991 — Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks
1992 — Chicago Bears, Seattle Seahawks
1993 — Dallas Cowboys, Houston Oilers, Miami Dolphins
1994 — Green Bay Packers, Houston Oilers, New York Giants
1995
1996 — Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, St. Louis Rams
1997 — Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants, St. Louis Rams
1998 — Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1999 — Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks
2000 — St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans
2001 — Baltimore Ravens, New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2002 — New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers
2003 — San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans
2004 — Carolina Panthers, Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Tennessee Titans
2005 — Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans
2006 — Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks
2007 — Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans, San Diego Chargers, Seattle Seahawks
2008 — Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, San Diego Chargers, Seattle Seahawks
2009 — Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, Pittsburgh Steelers
2010 — Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans, Minnesota Vikings
2011 — Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots, New York Jets, San Francisco 49ers
2012 — Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers
2013 — Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks
2014 — Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks
2015 — Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers
2016 — Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants
2017 — Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2018 — Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings
2019 — Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots
2020 — Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers
2021 — Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans
2022 — Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Detroit Lions, New England Patriots, Washington Football Team
2023 — Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers