Browns players vote Grant Delpit 2021 Ed Block Courage Award winner for overcoming ruptured Achilles tendon

Grant Delpit overcame the adversity of missing his entire rookie season with a devastating injury, and his Browns teammates acknowledged the safety's perseverance by selecting him as the team's 2021 Ed Block Courage Award recipient.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Browns announced Delpit had received the award given annually to a member of each of the 32 NFL teams who exemplifies the qualities of Ed Block, the former head athletic trainer of the Baltimore Colts, based on courage, compassion, commitment and community.

Last year, the Browns drafted Delpit in the second round (44th overall) out of Louisiana State University, but he suffered a season-ending ruptured right Achilles tendon in a training camp practice on Aug. 24, 2020.

“Thank you to the Cleveland Browns organization, my teammates and the Browns athletic training staff for this great opportunity and for believing in me to help fight through this Achilles tear from last year,” Delpit said in a news release. “It was definitely a difficult test for me and I battled a lot, but my support system held it down to ultimately help me capture my goals. I also want to thank everyone who I worked with this past offseason to get me back and ready for this season.”

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Delpit also missed the 2021 season-opening 33-29 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs because of hamstring injuries he suffered this past summer in training camp.

When Delpit finally made his long-awaited NFL debut on Sept. 19, he had a sack late in the fourth quarter to help the Browns seal a 31-21 win over the Houston Texans.

In 11 games this season, Delpit has started three games and compiled 30 tackles, including a sack, three passes defensed, an interception and a forced fumble.

Delpit recorded the first interception of his NFL career Nov. 28 in a 16-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

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Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns players vote Grant Delpit 2021 Ed Block Courage Award winner