Former Dallas Cowboys center Travis Frederick has won the George Halas Award which is selected by the Pro Football Writers of America. The award is given to the player or coach who overcomes the most adversity to succeed.

Frederick missed the entire 2018 season due to the diagnosis of the Guillain-Barré syndrome. In 2019 he came back with the Cowboys and had a standout season being named to the Pro Bowl. At the age of 29, Frederick decided to hang up the cleats because of the syndrome. When announcing his retirement, he said even though he had a lot of success during the 2019 season, he struggled every day.

“I made my return to the field, played well overall, and was selected to the Pro Bowl, but it was a difficult year for me,” Frederick said in his announcement. “Each day I faced a struggle: I could no longer perform at my highest level. Playing ‘well' is not what I expect of myself and is not what my teammates deserve. Because of this, I know my days as a football player are done. I am proud of what I have accomplished in my career, and I walk away with my head held high.”

Frederick was selected in the first round of the 2013 draft by the Cowboys. When he was healthy, he was one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL. It's unfortunate that an elite player like Frederick is having his career cut short, but it's nice that people recognize how much he had to go through to get back onto the field.