It's the time of year when honors are presented to players and that was the case when center Zach Frazier and linebacker Alex Highsmith were both honored by the Pittsburgh Chapter of Pro Football Writers of America.
Frazier won the Joe Greene Great Performance Award while Highsmith is the winner of 'The Chief' Award.
The Joe Greene Great Performance Award was established in 1984 and named after the legendary Hall of Famer and presented each year to the Steelers' top rookie.
Frazier is only the second Steelers center to win the award, joining Maurkice Pouncey, who won the award in 2010.
"It's a great honor," said Frazier. "(The season) has flown by. I feel like I've learned a lot. I just focus on how I can get better and make our team better."
Frazier was drafted by the Steelers in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the 51st overall pick, out of West Virginia. Frazier was a staple for the Mountaineers offense in college, playing in 47 games over his four college seasons, along with 37 starts.
From the day he was drafted, Frazier understood the legacy of the Steelers offensive line and what the center position means to the organization.
"I just know how much offensive line means to the Pittsburgh Steelers, their long tradition of having great o-linemen and great offensive lines," said Frazier when he was drafted. "It's special.
"They're getting a hard worker who is going to give everything he has to the organization to win football games."
With injuries at the center position, Frazier stepped into a starting role Week 1 of the season and never looked back. He has started all 14 games he played this year, missing two due to an ankle injury.
Frazier has maintained the same approach every week, constantly focused on the task at hand and never overwhelmed by the assignment.
"I just always go week by week," said Frazier. "That's what I've always done. I try not to look ahead. That's the process that I've had. I stick to one game at a time.
"I want to look at what I've got next. I am focused on that. Taking it one day at a time. I am going to attack it as it comes."
Joe Greene Great Performance Award Recipients
1984 - Louis Lipps, WR
1985 - Harry Newsome, P
1986 - Anthony Henton, LB
1987 - Delton Hall, CB
1988 - Warren Williams, RB
1989 - Carnell Lake, S
1990 - Eric Green, TE
1991 - Adrian Cooper, TE
1992 - Darren Perry, FS
1993 - Chad Brown, LB
1994 - Bam Morris, RB
1995 - Kordell Stewart, QB
1996 - Jon Witman, FB
1997 - Chad Scott, CB
1998 - Alan Faneca, OG
1999 - Troy Edwards, WR
2000 - Dan Kreider, FB
2001 - Kendrell Bell, LB
2002 - Kendall Simmons, OG
2003 - Troy Polamalu, S
2004 - Ben Roethlisberger, QB
2005 - Heath Miller, TE
2006 - Santonio Holmes, WR
2007 - Daniel Sepulveda, P
2008 - Patrick Bailey, LB
2009 - Mike Wallace, WR
2010 - Maurkice Pouncey, C
2011 - Marcus Gilbert, OT
2012 - Mike Adams, OT
2013 - Le'Veon Bell, RB
2014 - Martavis Bryant, WR
2015 - Bud Dupree, LB
2016 - Sean Davis, S
2017 - JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR
2018 - Terrell Edmunds, S
2019 - Devin Bush, LB
2020 - Chase Claypool, WR
2021 - Najee Harris, RB
2022 - Kenny Pickett, QB
2023 - Joey Porter Jr., CB
2024 - Zach Frazier, C
'The Chief' Award, which was established in 1988 in honor of Steelers' founder, Arthur J. Rooney, Sr., is presented annually to a member of the Steelers' organization that best exemplifies the spirit of cooperation with the media that he embodied.
"It's an honor. Thank you for voting for me for this award," said Highsmith. "It's an honor to be included with a bunch of great names that won this award in the past. I know how much this award means to the Rooney family, it means a lot to me and the organization as a whole. I am grateful to help you guys do your job.
"It is important during those times. You show who you are during those times of adversity."
Highsmith is in his fifth season after being drafted by the Steelers in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the 102nd overall pick.
From the moment he arrived in Pittsburgh, Highsmith has been a player who had made himself available to the media, through wins and losses, his best performances and injuries.
Highsmith started all 10 games he played this season, recording 38 tackles, 24 of them solo stops, six sacks, nine tackles for a loss, 13 quarterback hits, four passes defensed and a forced fumble. He missed six games with a groin injury early in the season, and an ankle injury later in the season.
"Alex Highsmith is a playmaker," said fellow outside linebacker T.J. Watt. "You think splash when you think of him. Big time plays in big time moments."
Whether he waw playing or not, Highsmith always made himself available to the media, sharing insight in the team's progress, opponents, his own health and always praising the next man up who was stepping in due to his injuries.
"I just want to do what I can to get back out there, help my team. That's all that matters to me," said Highsmith during his injury. "And when I'm out there, just be the best version of myself. And that's why I've got to have that confidence to know that when I am out there, I am the best version of myself."
Highsmith has also been a standout in the community, winning the Week 1 NFLPA Community MVP. The award is presented weekly during the regular season to a player who has made a positive impact in his hometown or team city. Highsmith won the award for hosting a back-to-school backpack giveaway in Pittsburgh and North Carolina. He went on to host events throughout the rest of the season, including a Christmas coat giveaway to kids from Urban Impact.
'The Chief' Award Recipients
1988 - Dan Rooney
1989 - Dwayne Woodruff
1990 - Merril Hoge
1991 - Gerald Williams
1992 - Tunch Ilkin
1993 - D.J. Johnson
1994 - Rod Woodson
1995 - Levon Kirkland
1996 - Chad Brown
1997 - Darren Perry
1998 - Jerome Bettis
1999 - Lee Flowers
2000 - Jerome Bettis & Deshea Townsend
2001 - Lee Flowers
2002 - Hines Ward
2003 - Mike Logan
2004 - Jerome Bettis
2005 - Alan Faneca
2006 - Brett Keisel & Deshea Townsend
2007 - Alan Faneca
2008 - Ryan Clark
2009 - James Farrior
2010 - Ben Roethlisberger
2011 - James Farrior
2012 - Casey Hampton
2013 - Ike Taylor
2014 - Cameron Heyward
2015 - Ramon Foster
2016 - Arthur Moats
2017 - David DeCastro
2018 - Joe Haden
2019 - Cameron Heyward
2020 - Ben Roethlisberger
2021 - Cameron Heyward
2022 - Mason Cole
2023 - Patrick Peterson
2024 - Alex Highsmith
