![RLA 50 website image 3[94].jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/8bfe20_8b6fe5e8b9664de5a104a6d8bcb3405c~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_137,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/8bfe20_8b6fe5e8b9664de5a104a6d8bcb3405c~mv2.jpg)
13 previous winners and finalists are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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43 previous winners and finalists are members of the college football hall of fame.
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73 RLA winners and finalists have been chosen in the first round of the NFL draft - eight were number one picks.
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48 Division IA colleges have been represented by winners and finalists.
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Defensive ends have won the most RLA trophies.
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Orlando Pace is the only multiple winner of the RLA award, winning in 1995 and 1996.
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Eight nominees/winners were two time finalists.
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Ten winners and 21 finalists were members of NFL roster in 2022.
FACTS AND FIGURES
The Award was established in 1970 by the Rotary Club of Houston in memory of Vince Lombardi to honor the top Division IA college football lineman.
The Lombardi family granted permission to the Rotary Club of Houston to use the Lombardi name for the award with the stipulation that all net proceeds from the award benefit cancer research.
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Since its inception, millions of dollars have been raised to support cancer research.
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The Lombardi Award™ trophy, made from 40 lbs. of Texas pink granite chiseled to resemble the stance of a lineman, is presented annually in Houston at a gala dinner where the four finalists are honored.
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This Houston tradition is now in its 50th year.
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A significant part of the event each year are the visits made by the four Lombardi Award™ finalists to see the Front-Line Kids at Local Hospitals.
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The Front-Line Kids are children with cancer who attend the dinner and otherBLombardi Award™ events as our special guests.
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