Bear Bryant Award Returns to EA SPORTS College Football 27, Honoring Coaching Excellence and Heart Health

The American Heart Association announced Tuesday that the Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant Coach of the Year Award will return to EA SPORTS College Football 27, marking the second year the award appears in the popular video game franchise. Players in Dynasty Mode will have the opportunity to earn the prestigious honor, which recognizes the National Coach of the Year in the game.

Last year’s release marked the first time the Bryant Award joined other iconic trophies such as the Heisman Trophy, Lou Groza Award, Lombardi Award, Unitas Golden Arm Award and Broyles Award in the game. The continued inclusion is part of a broader effort by the American Heart Association to celebrate college football coaches who embody Coach Bryant’s legacy of excellence and to engage fans with his enduring example of leadership and character.

Now in their 41st year, the Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant Awards, presented by the American Heart Association, annually honor coaches at multiple levels, including the National Coach of the Year, Newcomer Coach of the Year, Conference Coach of the Year, and the Heart of a Champion and Lifetime Achievement Awards. Indiana’s Curt Cignetti took home the top honor in 2025, and the 2026 winner will be announced at a ceremony in Houston on January 27, 2027. The award is unique among college football coaching honors as it is the only one selected after the national champion has been determined, with voting conducted by the National Sports Media Association, current NCAA coaches, former winners, the Bryant family, and the awards’ executive leadership team.

Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant’s storied career began in Moro Bottom, Arkansas, and included head coaching stints at Maryland, Kentucky, Texas A&M, and most notably Alabama, where he won six national championships and 14 SEC titles. He passed away from a heart attack on January 26, 1983, just weeks after his final game. Following his death, the Bryant family partnered with the American Heart Association to keep his legacy alive, raising funds for lifesaving research and raising awareness about heart disease and stroke, the nation’s leading killers.

EA SPORTS College Football 27 is set for release on July 9. For more information on the awards, visit www.bryantawards.org. The original press release is available on www.newmediawire.com.

This news story relied on content distributed by NewMediaWire. Blockchain Registration, Verification & Enhancement provided by NewsRamp. The source URL for this press release is Bear Bryant Award Returns to EA SPORTS College Football 27, Honoring Coaching Excellence and Heart Health.

The post Bear Bryant Award Returns to EA SPORTS College Football 27, Honoring Coaching Excellence and Heart Health appeared first on citybuzz.