From a rookie season cut short due to injury to being a backup to a key starter on a division champion, Morgan Moses has overcome a lot in the last year. Now he's the team's Ed Block Courage Award recipient.
This time 12 months ago, Morgan Moses faced an uncertain road ahead of him.
Washington Redskins tackle Morgan Moses on Saturday, March 12, 2016, accepted his Ed Block Courage Award at the 38th annual Ed Block Courage Awards in Baltimore, Md.
After suffering a Lisfranc injury in his foot during a practice at the tail end of his rookie season, Moses not only was a little bit behind in his preparations for the 2015 season, it was heavily rumored that the Redskins were looking to revamp at least part of their offensive line.
Not only would the Redskins select Brandon Scherff with the No. 5-overall pick, but the University of Virginia product would remain with the second-team offensive line through offseason workouts.
But with no lingering issues from the Lisfranc injury, Moses was not only healthy enough to start training camp, he -- more so than maybe any other player -- turned many heads.
Not only did he become a full-time starter at right tackle, Moses was named the team's Ed Block Courage Award winner, given annually to a player from each National Football League team who displays extraordinary courage in the face of adversity.
The Courage Award's namesake, Ed Block, was a longtime head athletic trainer of the Baltimore Colts who was a pioneer in his profession and a respected humanitarian.
On Saturday, Moses accepted his award at the 38th annual Ed Block Courage Awards in Baltimore.
Moses was honored that his teammates selected him for the Courage Award after a tumultuous start to his career with the Redskins.
"It's a blessing," Moses said. "First of all, it's a great deal to be voted on by my organization and my teammates. It's a testiment to the injury I had my rookie year, the Lisfranc, one of the hardest injuries to come back from. I just dedicated myself to the process and it paid off. I came back and started every game last year and it was a big deal for me."
Moses joins the likes of Darryl Grant, Darrel Green, Mark May, Art Monk and Chris Samuels to earn the award representing the Redskins.
He added that the last year "has been tremendous" even though he suffered such a severe injury.
"Getting hurt and my rookie season not going as well as I wanted it to go, but the injury helped me," Moses said. "I was able to sit back and [see] the scheme and learn defenses and just kind of dedicate myself to the fundamentals of football. I worked hard in rehab and dedicated myself to get stronger and work on the areas that I need to, and it set me up for the right situation."
Moses' hard work certainly didn't go unnoticed.
"Morgan spent the offseason rehabbing with us after surgery, worked really hard in rehab and was able to come back for full clearance at the start of training camp at the end of July. He was able to return back to the field and compete for a starting position," Redskins Head Athletic Trainer Larry Hess said last season. "To go from being a backup last year – a rookie – and sustain a significant injury to his left foot and then be able to return to the field and earn our starting right tackle position is a testament to his hard work and dedication."
All 32 Ed Block Courage Award recipients also work tirelessly in helping the community.
Feeling more at home in the Washington, D.C., area, Moses not only spent time with students and families close to Redskins Park and FedExField, he's also helped in his native Richmond, Va., area.
"We just simply played basketball and I got out there and showed my Steph Curry and everybody was like, 'You've got a little touch out there,'" Moses said with a smile. "We got out there and did some arts and crafts with the kids and we just bonded with the kids. They told us their stories and it was a great deal for us."
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