Joe Staley is the 49ers’ nominee for the NFL’s 2019 Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award

The Bay area is well represented for the Rooney Award nominees. Five players are up for the award for their respective teams, including Derek Carr and Christian McCaffrey. For the San Francisco 49ers, it’s Joe Staley. The Niners left tackle has been a finalist in each of the last four years.

This award is presented annually to the NFL player that best demonstrates the qualities of on-field sportsmanship, including fair play, respect for the game its opponents, and integrity in competition. The winner is announced at the NFL Honors presentation before the Super Bowl, where they receive a $25,000 donation from the NFL Foundation to a charity of their choice. I’d love to hear his speech. Staley would be the first 49ers player to win the award.

In the next step, a panel of former players will determine eight finalists. Each team’s players will then vote as one for a finalist to receive the award in mid-December, with teams unable to vote for their candidates.

Quasi related: The first 30,000 fans in attendance this Sunday at Levi Stadium, where the 49ers host Cardinals will receive a Staley bobblehead.