The Vikings have recognized QB 
Ponder started the final 10 games of his rookie campaign in 2011 and was heavily involved in Vikings Community Tuesday events and various outreach initiatives.
“Christian showed great poise and leadership during his rookie season,” said Vikings Head Coach Leslie Frazier. “His presence in the locker room and his willingness to help teammates speaks to his character.”
The first award of its kind for the Vikings, the annual Rookie of the Year award will be presented following each season moving forward and will recognize the member of the previous rookie class that best represented himself and the franchise on and off the field. The chosen player will be honored with a $5,000 donation to a 501c3 organization of his choice, and the trophy will be displayed in Winter Park.
“I’m honored to receive this award and hope to build a strong tradition of young players being involved in the community,” Ponder said. “As players we have the chance to make a difference in the lives of kids and families. I hope next year’s winner is as humbled by this as I am.”
