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CLEMSON -- The Butkus Foundation announced today that Clemson linebacker Isaiah Simmons has won the 2019 Butkus Award, presented annually to the nation's top linebacker. Matt Butkus, son of Pro Football and College Football Hall of Famer and award namesake Dick Butkus, surprised Simmons with the honor at the Allen N. Reeves Football Complex during the team’s College Football Playoff Selection Show watch party.

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Simmons becomes the first Clemson player to earn the honor in the award's 35-year history. He garnered 29 percent of the weighted vote and 35 percent of first place votes from the selection committee, earning the honor over an esteemed group of finalists that included Wisconsin’s Zack Baun, Texas Tech’s Jordyn Brooks, Penn State’s Micah Parsons, Cal’s Evan Weaver and Wyoming’s Logan Wilson.

Simmons is the first ACC player to collect the award since Boston College's Luke Kuechly in 2011.

"We've made a lot of history this year, and one of those things is having our first ever Butkus Award winner," Head Coach Dabo Swinney said. "We've had some great players come through, but I'm so happy for Isaiah. He's so deserving and I'm so happy for his family. What an unbelievable job by Coach V [Brent Venables] in developing him into a Butkus Award winner. It's a special moment for our team and for Isaiah."

Also present for the surprise were Denise Simmons, Isaiah's mother, and Mario Simmons, Isaiah's brother. During the presentation, Simmons spoke by phone with Dick Butkus, who congratulated him on the honor and encouraged him to use his platform to give back.

Last week, Simmons was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year, giving Clemson back-to-back ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors after eventual No. 4 overall NFL Draft pick Clelin Ferrell collected the award in 2018. Though three Clemson defensive ends had won ACC Defensive Player of the Year in the previous 13 years, Simmons became the first Clemson linebacker to win it since Leroy Hill in 2004.

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