Established in 1935, the Maxwell Football Club has played a pivotal role in recognizing and celebrating football talent across various levels. Over its more than seventy-five years of operation, the Club has been at the forefront of honoring players who show exceptional promise. This dedication to identifying talent early on has led many Maxwell Award recipients to achieve significant success in professional football, with several becoming iconic figures in the sport.
In its formative years, the Maxwell Football Club conducted weekly gatherings that served as informal forums for discussing recent football games. These meetings brought together officials, coaches, and enthusiasts to review and celebrate performances from the previous weekend. Local high school and college athletes were recognized during these sessions, establishing the Club as a pioneer in honoring football talent from the grassroots level up to the professional arena. The Maxwell Football Club was the first to extend its accolades to players across all stages of their football careers.
The Maxwell Award, first presented in 1937, was named in tribute to Robert "Tiny" Maxwell, a notable figure in football. This award aimed to recognize the most outstanding college football player of the year and quickly became one of the sport’s most prestigious honors.
Following the passing of the Club’s founder Bert Bell in 1959, the Maxwell Football Club introduced the Bert Bell Trophy. This award, given to the Professional Player of the Year, was established to commemorate Bell’s contributions to football and to extend the Club’s tradition of excellence to the professional level.
In 1985, the Club further expanded its scope with the creation of the Jim Henry Award, which honors the Tri-State High School Player of the Year. This initiative marked the Club’s dedication to acknowledging high school talent. The introduction of the National High School Player of the Year Award in 2007 further broadened the Club’s reach, recognizing exceptional high school athletes on a national scale.
Through its various awards, the Maxwell Football Club continues to uphold its mission of celebrating football excellence. By recognizing standout performers from high school to the professional ranks, the Club remains a key institution in fostering and honoring football talent, ensuring its legacy endures as a beacon of excellence in the sport.
BY THE NUMBERS
The Maxwell Football Club was founded in 1935 by Bert Bell and Edwin Pollock. Weekly meetings consisted of informal sessions with football officials, coaches, and the public to talk about the previous weekend’s games. At these meetings local high school and college players were honored. The Maxwell Football Club is the first organization to honor football from beginner to professional.
The Maxwell Football Club presented the first Maxwell Award, its namesake award, in 1937. It was presented to Clinton E. Frank, who played halfback at Yale. Frank also won the Heisman Trophy that season.
After receiving the Maxwell Award in 1952, Johnny Lattner became the first player to win the Maxwell Award by winning it again in 1953. The Notre Dame halfback led his team to a second-place finish in the AP Poll, only behind Maryland. Lattner's stats that season included 651 yards and 9 touchdowns on 133 carries, 204 yards on 14 receptions, 4 interceptions, & 2 touchdowns on 10 kickoff returns.
Shortly after its founders passing in 1959, the Maxwell Football Club established the Bert Bell Award. The award is given annually to the season's best professional football player. The first Bert Bell Award was given to Baltimore Colts QB John Unitas.
USC Running Back OJ Simpson becomes the first African-American to win the Maxwell Award after leading the Trojans to a 1967 National Championship. He also won the 1968 Heisman and went on to become one of the best running backs in the game. Simpson, nicknamed "Juice," was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.
The first Jim Henry Award was christened in 1985 and given to the High School Player of the Year for the Tri-State area (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware). Jim Henry, the award's namesake, a legendary coach, official, and administrator for the region. The award is presented a senior football player who portrays a unique balance of football prowess, academic excellence, and dedicated community service.
George Munger College Coach of the Year Award, Earl "Greasy" Neale Award for NFL Coach of the Year, and the Francis J. "Reds" Bagnell Award for lifetime contributions to the game of football.
Established in 1995, the Chuck Bednarik Award is presented to college football's best defensive player. Bednarik was a 2x NFL Champion and 10x 1st Team All-Pro Linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles. He was also the last player in NFL history to play both ways of the ball full time. The first Bednarik Award Trophy was given to Northwestern Linebacker Pat Fitzgerald.
The Regional Coach of the Year Award was established in 1998 and awarded to the top coach in the tri-state area (PA, NJ, DE). Currently, the award has been renamed after former Villanova head coach Andy Talley.
The Spirit Award is given to an individual who has made an impact on the game while overcoming adversity or demonstrating exemplary service. The award's namesake, Tom Brookshier, was a CB for the Philadelphia Eagles before becoming a legendary sports broadcaster alongside Pat Summerall.
The Regional College Player of the Year Award is given to the best college football player in the tri-state area (PA, NJ, DE). The inaugural recipient of the award was Villanova RB Brian Westbrook. The award would be renamed after Westbrook in 2012.
The National High School Player of the Year Award is given annually to the best high school football player in the country. The first
For only the second time since the Maxwell Award was established in 1937, a player won the Award twice. Florida QB Tim Tebow put together two strong performances, earning him the Maxwell Award in 2007 and 2008.
The National HS Player of the Year Award was established in 2007. A decade later, the MFC decided to establish a second award, one of which would be given to the offensive HS player of the year and the other to the defensive player of the year.
The MFC partnered with the Andy Talley Bone Marrow Foundation to present the Get In The Game Impact Award in an effort to expand the bone marrow registry for Be The Match - Save A Life.
The Maxwell Football Club decided to provide a free opportunity for tri-state area (PA, NJ, DE) high school student-athletes to demonstrate their football skills as a vehicle to achieve their college degrees.
The Maxwell Football Club launched its Leadership Challenge, a challenge for high school players and coaches to develop leadership skills and become the best version of themselves on and off the field. The mission of the Leadership Challenge is to inspire these future leaders to understand that being a leader starts with each of them "leading their own lives" in a better way - on the field, in the classroom, in their homes, and in their communities. Additionally, Shaun Alexander partnered with the MFC to present the College Freshman Player of the Year Award.
The 2024 Maxwell Awards Gala was the first Gala hosted at the College Football Hall of Fame. By moving the Gala from Philadelphia to Atlanta, the MFC continues to expand its reach and prominence across the football landscape.
