NFF Legacy Award Recipients
Biography
Steve Richardson, known widely by his nickname "Tiger," has served as executive director of the FWAA since 1996, overseeing an organization of approximately 1,200 media professionals covering college football across North America.
"Steve Richardson has been an invaluable presence at the NFF for more than two decades, bringing his deep media expertise, integrity, and steady counsel to every challenge and opportunity," said Hatchell. "Having the executive director of the Football Writers Association of America make our headquarters his home base has been an extraordinary asset. His insight has helped guide countless communications decisions, and his advocacy for writers and the game itself reflects a deep love of college football. We are proud to recognize his impact with an NFF Legacy Award."
Under his leadership, the FWAA not only selects the annual college football All-America team and presents major awards such as the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Outland Trophy, and Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, but it also champions better working conditions in press boxes and supports scholarships and writing contests for aspiring sports journalists.
Richardson has also been widely praised for his advocacy on behalf of writers—whether writing protest letters when access is restricted or standing up for press box etiquette—earning respect from both media colleagues and university communications professionals.
Richardson serves on the NFF Honors Court, which selects the NFF College Football Hall of Fame inductees, and has partnered with the NFF on multiple occasions over the years on a wide range of NFF events. In 2014, he partnered with the NFF to launch the Super 16 Poll, which ranks the top teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision each week during the regular season.
Richardson began his journalism journey at the University of Missouri, where he earned a journalism degree and wrote for the student newspaper. He later reported for the Kansas City Star and Dallas Morning News before joining the FWAA.
