GLENDALE – After three straight years of being a finalists, Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker earned the Art Rooney Sportsmanship award at the 2026 NFL Honors. The eight-time Pro Bowler was praised from division rivals like Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua and San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittel for being a fierce competitor on the field, but still carrying a level of respect throughout.
GLENDALE – After three straight years of being a finalists, Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker earned the Art Rooney Sportsmanship award at the 2026 NFL Honors. The eight-time Pro Bowler was praised from division rivals like Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua and San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittel for being a fierce competitor on the field, but still carrying a level of respect throughout.
Dec 7, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) against the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Baker wins Art Rooney award:
“One hundred and twenty percent energy on every single play, never takes a snap off,” Kittle told NFL Films. “And he is going to hit the heck out of you, and he is going to chase you down. When you go against guys like that, you have to be so dialed in on every single play, because on any snap he can completely change the game.”
Nov 3, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) leaves the field after defeating the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Baker joins Larry Fitzgerald as the only Cardinals player to win the award, as the first-ballot Hall of Famer was the inaugural reception. The two-time All-Pro recorded his sixth 100+ tackle season this past year, having 120 combine and 57 solo. A massive highlight from the 2025 season was recording his first interception since Week 15 2022.
The 30-year-old is widely respected because of his hard playing style, while not being penalized often. In nearly 5,000 snaps, Baker has less than a dozen penalties over his career. Heading into 2026, Baker will continue being a leader under new head coach Mike LaFleur.
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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
Category: General Sports
