What Is The Landry Award?

The Landry Award recognizes the top high school football player (any position, any division, any school within the 32-county viewing area) in North Texas who demonstrates positive character and leadership attributes. The honoree is chosen by a voting panel of former coaches and players, members of the media and local leaders. Online public voting also accounts for one vote in the panel balloting. The program was created in 2010 by CBS 11 and TEXAS 21 in partnership with the Greater Dallas Fort Worth Fellowship of Christian Athletes. The Landry Award is presented by the Nebraska Furniture Mart.

You can watch the 2019 ceremony Friday, Dec. 27 at 6:30 p.m. on CBS 11.

Official Rules

The Landry Award 2019 Winner

Rockwall High School wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been named the Landry Award winner for 2019. He received the award at the Landry Award presentation at the Hope Center in Plano on Monday night, December 9. The other finalists were: Marvin Mims, Frisco Lone Star High School; Chandler Morris, Highland Park High School; Drew Sanders, Denton Ryan High School and Chris Thompson Jr., Duncanville High School.

PAST RECIPIENTS

2018: T.J. McDaniel, Southlake Carroll

2017: John Stephen Jones, Highland Park High School

2016: Kennedy Brooks, Mansfield

2015: Jett Duffey, Mansfield Lake Ridge

2014: Kyler Murray, Allen

2013: Myles Garrett, Arlington Martin

2012: Jake Oliver, Jesuit

2011: Johnathan Gray, Aledo

2010: Johnathan Gray, Aledo

The Landry Award was created by CBS 11 and TXA 21 in partnership with the Greater Dallas/Fort Worth Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ Character and Leadership Initiative highlighting the “One Way 2 Play – Drug Free” program.

The Landry Award 2019 Coach Of The Year

The Landry Award also recognizes a Coach of the Year, who exemplifies the Christian values that defined Tom Landry on and off the field. A coach’s job is first about teaching life skills and molding young lives. They are shaping young people into the leaders of tomorrow. So many coaches in North Texas donate their time to be more than just a coach to kids. They are father figures, friends and, most of all, role models. They nurture them with unconditional love and turn them into the kind of adults that today’s world needs.

The Landry Award Coach of the Year, selected by Greater Dallas Fort Worth FCA leadership and The Landry Award voting panel, is one who encourages leadership, selflessness, maturity, respect and kindness.

The 2019 Landry Award Coach of the Year is Riley Dodge of Southlake Carroll High School. The other finalists were: Carlos Lynn, Cedar Hill High School; Michael Odle, Lewisville High School; Marty Secord, Frisco Wakeland High School and Bob Wager, Arlington Martin High School.

PAST RECIPIENTS

2018: Jason Tucker, Haltom High School

2017: Mike DeWitt, Coppell

2016: Brian Brazil, Hebron

2015: Randy Jackson, Grapevine

2014: Randy Allen, Highland Park

2013: Joe McBride, Coppell

Tom Landry: 1924-2000

One of the greatest icons of the game began his football legacy in Mission, Texas. As quarterback, Landry led his high school team to a 12-0 season in his senior year. After returning from duty as a bomber pilot, he attended the University of Texas. After graduating from Texas, Landry played professionally for the All-America Football Conference’s New York Yankees, and later the New York Giants. He played five years as a pro.

Landry started coaching as an assistant with the Giants while he was still playing, and later became a full-time assistant coach with the team. Of course, he is best known as the first head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, a position he held for 29 seasons, including a record 20 consecutive winning seasons. During this time, Landry coached America’s Team to five Super Bowl appearances, winning twice. He won 270 games, the third-most in NFL history. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990.

Beyond the Xs and Os, Landry was known as a man of strong faith. He was an active supporter and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Greater Dallas Fellowship of Christian Athletes for 30 years, and he encouraged his players to demonstrate leadership on and off the field.