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A new annual award is coming to the NFL.
.@NFL will unveil a new award in 2013: The Deacon Jones Award, given to league's sack leader. Will be announced at Deacon's memorial service
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) June 22, 2013
Jones is credited with coining the term "sack" in the context of taking down a quarterback behind the line of scrimmage. The award will be presented at the league's annual NFL Honors show.
With Cleveland adding the likes of Paul Kruger and Barkevious Mingo in the offseason, to go along with third-year man Jabaal Sheard, could one of them be a contender for the Deacon Jones Award? They have a long way to go. Last year, Kruger had 9 sacks with the Ravens, while Sheard had 7 sacks with the Browns. The leading sackers in the NFL were J.J. Watt (21.5 sacks) and Aldon Smith (19.5 sacks). Nonetheless, it's an award that seems to make sense and is a nice tribute to Jones.