Los Angeles Rams general manager Les Snead, lauded for his professional dealings with the media who cover the league, has been selected as the 2024 Horrigan Award winner by the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA).
Snead, the 52nd Horrigan Award winner, is the second member of the Rams franchise to receive the award, as head coach John Robinson won the award in 1992. Snead is the first GM to win the Horrigan since Brandon Beane with the Buffalo Bills in 2021, and the third general manager in the last five years to be honored with the award by the PFWA membership.
The Horrigan Award is given to the league or club official for his or her qualities and professional style in helping the pro football writers do their job. Jack Horrigan was a sportswriter for UPI and the Buffalo Evening News, public relations director for the American Football League (1963-66) and vice president of public relations for the Buffalo Bills (1966-73). Joe Horrigan is in his 45th year with the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame’s current senior advisor was executive director (2017-19), executive vice president of museums, selection process and chief communications officer (2014-17) and vice president, communications and exhibits (1996-2014).
Other 2024 nominees for the Horrigan Award were 49ers general manager John Lynch, NFL VP of communications Brian McCarthy and NFL EVP of football operations Troy Vincent.
Completing his 12th season as the Rams’ general manager in 2023, Snead has built the Rams into Super Bowl LVI champions with an aggressiveness that included the hiring of Sean McVay as the league’s youngest coach and a flurry of trades and free agent signings. He has maintained an open-door policy with the media, who have relied on him to discuss and analyze his decisions.
“Les believes that football is an endless source of curiosity. He is also in a position of power to where, should he want to seek and find the answers to a million questions about the evolution and dynamics of the sport, he could very well keep that gate shut for himself and his staff, and keep those answers for himself and everyone else out. Instead, when Les comes across journalists who are ALSO curious, who want to learn, and who are on the outside of buildings looking in — he opens that gate,” said PFWA Los Angeles Rams chapter vice president Jourdan Rodrigue, who covers the Rams for The Athletic. “When I arrived in Los Angeles — a young, female beat reporter hungry to learn — Les’ open-door policy about all things football changed my life. A two-dimensional world became three and four-dimensional. By explaining things and answering endless questions and saying “yes” to endless ideas, Les empowered curiosity, and he helped preserve in history some of the key stories that are shaping this league.
“When people in power open the door of access to those who are seeking knowledge, particularly underrepresented voices who have something to contribute to the fabric, the sport we love progresses. When ideas are shared, they challenge everybody to push forward. Les embodies this and is so deserving of this award.”
HORRIGAN AWARD WINNERS (To the league or club official for his or her qualities and professional style in helping the pro football writers do their job) Year indicates when award was presented for previous season: 1973 – John Breen (Houston Oilers); 1974 – O.J. Simpson (Buffalo Bills); 1975 – Art Rooney Sr. (Pittsburgh Steelers); 1976 – Floyd Little (Denver Broncos); 1977 – Jerry Wynn (San Diego Chargers); 1978 – Bob Peck (Denver Broncos); 1979 – John Madden (Oakland Raiders); 1980 – Bum Phillips (Houston Oilers); 1981 – Bob Sprenger (Kansas City Chiefs); 1982 – Joe Gordon (Pittsburgh Steelers); 1983 – Archie Manning (New Orleans Saints/Houston Oilers); 1984 – Art Rooney Sr. (Pittsburgh Steelers); 1985 – Joe Browne (NFL); 1986 – Dick Steinberg (New England Patriots); 1987 – Charlie Dayton (Atlanta Falcons); 1988 – Art Modell (Cleveland Browns); 1989 – Tom Landry (Dallas Cowboys); 1990 – George Young (New York Giants); 1991 – Jim Finks (New Orleans Saints); 1992 – John Robinson (Los Angeles Rams); 1993 – Warren Moon (Houston Oilers); 1994 – Don Shula (Miami Dolphins); 1995 – Leslie Hammond (NFL); 1996 – Ron Wolf (Green Bay Packers); 1997 – Don Smith (Pro Football Hall of Fame); 1998 – Tony Dungy (Tampa Bay Buccaneers); 1999 – Greg Aiello (NFL); 2000 – Ernie Accorsi (New York Giants); 2001 – Jeff Fisher (Tennessee Titans); 2002 – Charley Casserly (Houston Texans); 2003 – Herman Edwards (New York Jets); 2004 – Ozzie Newsome (Baltimore Ravens); 2005 – Rich McKay (Atlanta Falcons); 2006 – Floyd Reese (Tennessee Titans); 2007 – Steve Alic (NFL); 2008 – Mike Holmgren (Seattle Seahawks); 2009 – Dan Rooney (Pittsburgh Steelers); 2010 – Gil Brandt (NFL.com); 2011 – Rex Ryan (New York Jets); 2012 – Thomas Dimitroff (Atlanta Falcons); 2013 – Michael Signora (NFL); 2014 – Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawks); 2015 – Bruce Arians (Arizona Cardinals); 2016 – John Elway (Denver Broncos); 2017 – Mike Mayock (NFL Network); 2018 – Randall Liu (NFL); 2019 – Joe Horrigan (Pro Football Hall of Fame); 2020 – Chris Ballard (Indianapolis Colts); 2021 – Brandon Beane (Buffalo Bills); 2022 – Michael Signora (NFL); 2023 – Ron Rivera (Washington Commanders); 2024 – Les Snead (Los Angeles Rams)
ABOUT THE PFWA: In its 61st season in 2024, the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA) is the official voice of pro football writers, promoting and fighting for access to NFL personnel to best serve the public. The PFWA is made up of accredited writers who cover the NFL and the 32 teams daily. Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News is the PFWA president for the 2023-24 seasons and the organization’s 31st president. Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post is the PFWA’s first vice-president, Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic is the second vice-president, Lindsay Jones of The Ringer is the advisor to the president and Mike Sando of The Athletic is the secretary-treasurer. At-large board members include Mike Jones of The Athletic, ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold, Joe Reedy of the Associated Press and ProFootballTalk.com’s Charean Williams. Follow the PFWA at ProFootballWriters.org and on Twitter/X at @PFWAwriters.
