No other NFL player has ever received the honor, according to the league.
(WWL-TV)- Steve Gleason will be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal this month, the highest honor a civilian can receive from Congress.
The ceremony will take place on Jan. 15 at 2 p.m. CST in the United States Capitol.
In 2018, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation that awards former Saints special teams standout the nation’s highest civilian honor for his tireless pursuit of a cure for the disabling disease ALS.
Gleason worked closely with the Congressional Gold Medal Committee on the design. The front shows Gleason in a New Orleans Saints jersey raising his fist into the air. The back of the design shows an alpine forest and stream (a nod to his native state of Washington) along with the words “Keep Exploring.”
(U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy’s Office )
“Steve Gleason has shown tremendous courage and resolve in the face of ALS,” Sen. Bill Cassidy said. “He has remained positive in the face of extreme adversity, inspiring all who hear his story. Steve deserves this medal, and I look forward to his presentation ceremony.”
Gleason made perhaps the most momentous play in the team’s history in the Superdome with a blocked punt in 2006 that spurred the Saints to victory in the first game back home after Hurricane Katrina.
The medal will be forged by the U.S. Mint. The National Football league has said that no other NFL player has ever received the honor.
