Jaguars linebacker/defensive end Jorge Cordova has been selected by his teammates as the team's 2006 Ed Block Courage Award recipient. Cordova, 25, missed all of his first two seasons in the NFL with knee injuries. He has returned in his third season and has played in eight games.
"It's an honor to be recognized and for other people to recognize everything that I have been through," said Cordova. "It's been a real rough road for me to come all the way from the west coast. I had never been over here before and I didn't know anything or know anybody. Then I jumped right into the NFL and it was rough to not be able to fulfill those expectations. Football is my life and for a second it was taken away from me with the ACL injury. I am so thankful that my body is healthy. I am just glad everything turned out the way it did."
Through eight games, he has recorded two tackles on defense and six tackles on special teams. He was originally a third round pick in the 2004 NFL Draft out of Nevada.
Each year the Ed Block Courage Awards honor those players who overcome adversity on the field, possess strong character and a will to endure life's trials, and who continuously strive for excellence on and off the field. Ed Block Courage Award recipients are selected by a vote of their teammates. The Jaguars awarded the honor to DE Paul Frase in 1995, TE Derek Brown in 1996, CB Dave Thomas in 1997, QB Mark Brunell in 1998, RB James Stewart in 1999, OT Tony Boselli in 2000, WR Jimmy Smith in 2001, RB Fred Taylor in 2002, DE Tony Brackens in 2003, QB David Garrard in 2004 and DE Paul Spicer in 2005.
The Jaguars' other nominees this year were Donovin Darius, Nick Sorensen and Brad Meester. Past winners are not eligible.
All 32 of this year's Ed Block Courage Award recipients — one from each team — will be honored at a banquet next spring in Baltimore. Proceeds from the event benefit abused children of The Courage House National Support Network.
