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San Francisco 49ers: Early Team-Award Predictions for 2016 Season

By Chandler Wright

Feb 6, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers Anquan Boldin poses with the Walter Payton Man of the Year award at the NFL Honors press room at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 6, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers Anquan Boldin poses with the Walter Payton Man of the Year award at the NFL Honors press room at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Antoine Bethea. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Antoine Bethea. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

The Ed Block Courage Award

The Ed Block Courage Award, named after the former Baltimore Colt head athletic trainer, symbolizes a commitment to helping children of abuse. This was Block’s greatest passion in life. Block was a pioneer in his profession, and this award is given annually to a player who best exemplifies a commitment to sportsmanship and courage.

Every year, all 32 teams’ Ed Block Courage Award winners are honored at a banquet in Baltimore, Maryland. The proceeds gathered benefit the Ed Block Courage Award Foundation’s Courage House Support Network. This program has a Courage House in all 32 NFL cities, and they’re named after the team of that city.

The 49ers Courage House is at the Edgewood House in San Francisco, and it was dedicated to providing support and quality care for abused children in October 2003.

2016’s Ed Block Courage Award goes to…

Sep 7, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; San Francisco 49ers strong safety Antoine Bethea (41) looks into the backfield of the Dallas Cowboys during the game at AT&T Stadium. San Francisco beat Dallas 28-17. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 7, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; San Francisco 49ers strong safety Antoine Bethea (41) looks into the backfield of the Dallas Cowboys during the game at AT&T Stadium. San Francisco beat Dallas 28-17. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /

Strong safety Antoine Bethea

Bethea has been a tremendous force in the 49ers secondary, since coming over from Indianapolis in 2014. That year he signed a four-year, $21 million dollar contract, according to Spotrac.com, to be the 49ers replacement for strong safety Donte Whitner.

Bethea is better than Whitner, and proved that by earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2014, as well as NFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 4 vs. Philadelphia.

That year, he also took home the Bill Walsh Award as the 49ers’s MVP.

Simply stated, Bethea is a Super Bowl Champion (2006 with the Colts), an MVP, an All-Pro, Pro Bowler and a class act to boot. He does it all with great sportsmanship, and that’s why he’ll take home this award in 2016.

Next: The Len Eshmont Award