MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin's Russell Wilson is this year's recipient of the Big Ten's Ford-Kinnick Leadership Award, the conference announced Tuesday. This award, along with the Dungy-Thompson Humanitarian Award, recognize Big Ten football student-athletes who have achieved success in the areas of leadership and humanitarianism following their academic and athletic careers at a Big Ten university.
Wilson is the third former Badger to win the Ford-Kinnick Award since its inception in 2011, joining Troy Vincent (2017) and Pat Richter (2021).
During his career at Wisconsin, Wilson was named the 2011 Griese-Brees Big Ten Quarterback of the Year while leading the Badgers to the Big Ten championship and an appearance in the Rose Bowl. The consensus first-team All-Big Ten selection also earned the Arthur Ashe Male Sports Scholar of the Year award in 2011.
Wilson is in his 13th NFL season, leading the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 9-3 record and first place in the AFC North. A nine-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl XLVIII champion, Wilson spent 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks and two seasons with the Denver Broncos before joining Pittsburgh.
Noted for his philanthropy, Wilson was named the 2020 Walter Payton Man of the Year and was the recipient of the Bart Starr Award in 2022. Off the field, Russell has demonstrated a deep commitment to community service and cause work. In 2014, Russell founded The Why Not You Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating real and lasting change in the world by motivating and empowering today's youth. In addition to financially supporting organizations aligned with the Foundation's mission, Russell and his wife work to extend the Foundation's impact by making weekly visits to Seattle Children's Hospital where he lifts the spirits and brings joy to the hearts of patients and their families.
In the fall of 2021, Russell and his wife, Ciara, celebrated the grand opening of the first Why Not You Academy, a tuition-free charter public high school they founded alongside educational leaders Garth Reeves and Scott Canfield. Why Not You Academy serves systemically underserved students just South of Seattle by providing an innovative and tailored learning experience. In 2021, he also collaborated with Feeding America and Wheels Up to donate 10 million meals to families experiencing food insecurity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020, Russell co-hosted the ESPY Awards with Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe. He led the show with a moving speech about the fight for racial equality in response to movement for Black lives across the world.
Wilson also established the Russell Wilson Quarterback Academy as a springboard to develop quarterback prospects using unique and cutting-edge curriculum based on his own experiences and knowledge. It is an extension of the Russell Wilson Passing Academy (RWPA), a summer football camp for children of all ages. Since its inception in 2012, RWPA has held camps in nine cities and worked with more than 9,000 children.
Continuing his passion and commitment to creating opportunities for kids to play football, he was named chairman of NFL Flag and helped found the Russell Wilson NFL Flag League in Seattle.
The Ford-Kinnick Leadership Award is named for Michigan's Gerald Ford and Iowa's Nile Kinnick. For more information on this award, including biographical information on the namesakes, visit bigten.org.
Ford-Kinnick Leadership Award Recipients
2011: Archie Griffin, Ohio State
2012: Jon Runyan, Michigan
2013: Gene Washington, Michigan State
2014: Mike Hopkins, Illinois
2015: Brian Griese, Michigan
2016: Reggie McKenzie, Michigan
2017: Troy Vincent, Wisconsin
2018: Antwaan Randle El, Indiana
2019: Doug Schlereth, Indiana
2020: Napoleon Harris, Northwestern
2021: Pat Richter, Wisconsin
2022: Ron Guenther, Illinois
2023: Richard Coachys, Indiana
2024: Russell Wilson, Wisconsin
