We considered plenty of former NFL players for the award that we’ll give each year to the running back we regard as the best in the game.

Walter Payton was the first guy that came to mind, but he already has a pretty big award named after him.  Barry Sanders got serious consideration, too.  As did Jim Brown and Gale Sayers and Chuck Foreman and John Riggins and O.J. Simpson (we’re just making sure you’re paying attention).

The more we thought about this one, the easier this one got.

The award will be named for Chiefs running back Joe Delaney.

Delaney rushed for only 1,501 yards in two NFL seasons — 1,121 of which came in a rookie campaign that resulted in a Pro Bowl berth.  In June 1983, Delaney tried to rescue three boys who were drowning in a hole full of rain water at a construction site.  He saved one of them.  The other two boys died. 

And so did Delaney.

Ricky Reilly, formerly of Sports Illustrated, penned this item about Delaney in 2003.

He left behind a young wife and three daughters.  His story deserves to be known, and his selfless courage needs to be remembered.

We’ll do our part here, by honoring a running back every season in Delaney’s name.

The first recipient is Falcons running back Warrick Dunn.  Though his performance in 2007 wasn’t on par with his best seasons of an eleven-year career, Dunn exemplifies the kind of selflessness that prompted a man who couldn’t swim to risk everything to send three boys home to their families. 

Another testatment to Dunn’s character is that he suffered silently through a horrible 2007 season without complaint or grandstanding.  Sure, he unloaded on Bobby Petrino after the first-year head coach bailed on the team with three games to go.  But who could blame him?

So for a career of great on-field performances, significant off-field contributions, and the kind of character that any player should emulate, giving the award to Dunn was as easy a decision for us as was naming it for Delaney.