In one of the most emotional moments in recent ESPY Awards history, former New Orleans Saints defensive end Steve Gleason delivered a moment that will have sports fans everywhere celebrating courage. Gleason was honored with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage. The Ashe Award recognizes an athlete who has made a difference beyond the playing field by standing up for what they believe in. Past recipients include USA Gymnastics sexual abuse survivors Bill Russell, Kevin Love, Maya Moore, Vitali Klitschko and the U.S. women’s national soccer team. Gleason, 47, spent eight years in the NFL before retiring in 2008. Three years later, he went public with his diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Gleason founded his nonprofit organization, Team Gleason, to help people with ALS live meaningful lives by providing them with support programs and services. He successfully lobbied for the Steve Gleason Act, which ensures the availability of life-sustaining communication devices in the United States. “For the past 13 years, I have documented our journey with ALS. My goal has always been to see if we can discover peace, freedom and a love of life, even in the midst of extreme adversity,” Gleason said in a statement Thursday. “Being recognized at the 2024 ESPYS is not only an honor, but a powerful platform to further help and serve others.” In 2019, Gleason received a Congressional Gold Medal for his contributions to ALS awareness. Earlier this year, he published his memoir. During his eight years with the New Orleans Saints, Gleason’s memorable block in the team’s first game back after Hurricane Katrina became a symbol of recovery in the city. FULL LIST OF 2024 ESPYS WINNERS Best Athlete, Men’s Sports: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs Best Athlete, Women’s Sports: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces Best Breakthrough Athlete: JuJu Watkins, USC Women’s Basketball Best Record-Breaking Performance: Caitlin Clark becomes the NCAA’s all-time scoring leader, breaking Pete Maravich’s record Best League Performance: Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics Best Comeback Athlete: Simone Biles, gymnast Best Play: Lamar Jackson catches his own pass Best Team: South Carolina Gamecocks, NCAA Women’s Basketball Best College Athlete, Men’s Sports: Jayden Daniels, LSU Football Best College Athlete, Women’s Sports: Caitlin Clark, Iowa Basketball Best Athlete with a Disability: Brenna Huckaby, Snowboarding Best NFL Player: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs Best MLB Player: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels Best NHL Player : Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers Best NBA Player: Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks Best WNBA Player: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces Best Driver: Max Verstappen, F1 Best UFC Fighter: Sean O’Malley Best Boxer: Terence Crawford Best Soccer Player: Kylian Mbappé, France/Real Madrid Best Golfer: Scottie Scheffler Best Tennis Player: Coco Gauff SPECIAL AWARDS Jimmy V Perseverance Award: Dawn Staley Arthur Ashe Courage Award: Steve Gleason Pat Tillman Service Award: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex SPORTS HUMANITARIAN AWARDS Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Awards: Billie Jean King Maui Surf Community Youth Leadership Award: Conor Campbell, Ayanna Shah, Hannah Smith Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year: Angel City Football Club Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award Recipient: Brice Christianson Sports Philanthropist of the Year Recipient of the Year: Boston Red Sox Ownership (John Henry, Tom Werner and Larry Lucchino) Corporate Community Impact Award: JPMorgan Chase
In one of the most emotional moments in recent ESPY Awards history, retired New Orleans Saints defensive end Steve Gleason delivered a moment that will have sports fans everywhere celebrating courage.
Gleason received the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage.
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The Ashe Award recognizes an athlete who has made a difference beyond the playing field by standing up for what they believe in. Past recipients include USA Gymnastics sexual abuse survivors Bill Russell, Kevin Love, Maya Moore, Vitali Klitschko and the U.S. women’s national soccer team.
This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
Gleason, 47, spent eight years in the NFL before retiring in 2008. Three years later, he went public with his diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Gleason founded his nonprofit organization, Team Gleason, to help people with ALS live meaningful lives by providing support programs and services. The organization successfully lobbied for the Steve Gleason Act, which ensures the availability of life-saving communication devices in the United States.
“For the past 13 years, I have documented our journey with ALS. My goal has always been to see if we can discover peace, freedom and love of life, even in the midst of extreme adversity,” Gleason said in a statement Thursday. “Being recognized at the 2024 ESPYS is not only an honor, but a powerful platform to further help and serve others.”
In 2019, Gleason received the Congressional Gold Medal for his contributions to ALS awareness. Earlier this year, he published his memoir.
During his eight years with the New Orleans Saints, Gleason’s memorable block in the team’s first game back after Hurricane Katrina became a symbol of recovery in the city.
COMPLETE LIST OF THE ESPYS 2024 WINNERS
Best Athlete, Men’s Sports: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Best Athlete, Women’s Sports: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
Best Up-and-Coming Athlete: JuJu Watkins, USC Women’s Basketball Team
Record-breaking performance: Caitlin Clark becomes NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, breaking Pete Maravich’s record
Best league performance: Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
Best Returning Athlete: Simone Biles, Gymnast
Best play: Lamar Jackson catches his own pass
Best Team: South Carolina Gamecocks, NCAA Women’s Basketball
Top College Athlete, Men’s Sports: Jayden Daniels, LSU Football
Top College Athlete, Women’s Sports: Caitlin Clark, Iowa Basketball
Best Athlete with a Disability: Brenna Huckaby, Snowboarding
Best NFL Player: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
MLB’s Best Player: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels
Best NHL Player: Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
Best NBA Player: Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks
Best WNBA Player: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
Best Driver: Max Verstappen, F1
Best UFC Fighter: Sean O’Malley
Best Boxer: Terence Crawford
Best Football Player: Kylian Mbappé, France/Real Madrid
Best Golfer: Scottie Scheffler
Best female tennis player: Coco Gauff
SPECIAL PRICES
Jimmy V Award for Perseverance: Dawn Staley
Arthur Ashe Award for Courage: Steve Gleason
Pat Tillman Award for Services to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
SPORTS HUMANITARIAN AWARDS
Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award: Maui Surfing Community
Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award: Conor Campbell, Ayanna Shah, Hannah Smith
Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year: Angel City Football Club
Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award Winner: Brice Christianson
Sports Philanthropist of the Year Award Winner: Boston Red Sox Owners (John Henry, Tom Werner, and Larry Lucchino)
Corporate Community Impact Award: JPMorgan Chase
