Linebacker Joe Walker has been named the recipient of the Philadelphia Eagles 2017 Ed Block Courage Award, which honors those National Football League players who exemplify commitments to the principles of sportsmanship and courage. Every fall, all 32 teams conduct a vote which results in each team selecting their Ed Block Courage Award recipient for the year.
Walker suffered a knee injury during the second week of the 2016 preseason that sidelined him for his entire rookie campaign. The 24-year-old linebacker has bounced back as a major special teams contributor for the Eagles in 2017, seeing action in all six contests. He had two tackles in a career-high 13 snaps in the Thursday night win over Carolina, subbing in for an injured Jordan Hicks.
Originally selected by Philadelphia in the seventh round (251st overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft, Walker enjoyed a standout career at the University of Oregon, where he totaled 205 tackles, including 17 for a loss, and five sacks in 40 games (21 starts).
