Buda Baker takes home the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award

Arizona Cardinals safety Buddha Baker was named the winner of the 2025 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award at the NFL Honors ceremony Thursday night in San Francisco, California. The award goes annually to the player voted by NFL players as the best who demonstrates sportsmanship, fair play, respect for opponents and integrity in competition.

Baker, 30, became the Cardinals’ second baseman receive the honor since its inception in 2014, he has joined wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who won the inaugural award, and then Cale Campbell, a former Cardinal who won in 2022 while playing with the Baltimore Ravens. This was Baker’s third straight year as a finalist, after six seasons as a contender for Arizona’s team.

“I’ve always played football the way I’ve played,” Baker said after receiving the award. “Ever since little league, I’ve been that person who tries to fly around, to score, to fight, to create chances for us to win, but also to play football at a high level. Recognition and awards, that can come with that.”

“It just kind of shows that I’m just trying to play football the right way and I’m trying to do the right thing. I want to be a great player, but also a great person on and off the field.”

The eight-time Pro Bowl safety concluded his ninth NFL season with impressive durability and leadership. He went through 98% of the defensive snaps in 16 games, a steady presence amid a Cardinals roster whose late-season pulse had faded and playoff hopes had slipped into the shadows. Baker combined relentless activity with clean play, committing just four penalties in 4,911 snaps over five seasons while making 580 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 26 tackles for loss, six interceptions, 24 pass defenses and forcing two fumbles. In nine seasons, he led six games with only one penalty.

Baker’s intensity on the field has not gone unnoticed, drawing praise from division rivals such as Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Naku and San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle, who praised his ferocity on the field along with his professionalism.

Furthermore, in addition to his accomplishments on the field, Baker has been a consistent team leader, having been elected captain for the past six seasons. He finished the 2025 season with 120 total tackles, 57 solo, his sixth year surpassing 100 combined tackles, and earned his eighth Pro Bowl nod with tight end Trey McBride.

As the recipient of the Art Rooney Award, Baker also received a $25,000 donation from the NFL Foundation to a charity of his choice. Other finalists for the 2025 award included NFC players Lavonte David (Tampa Bay), Demario Davis (New Orleans) and Brian O’Neal (Minnesota), and AFC players DeForest Buckner (Indianapolis), Harrison Phillips (New York Jets), Zach Siler (Miami) and Kyle Vanney (B.