Taye Brown Picked for Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List
08/21/2026 | Football
TUCSON, Ariz. — Arizona Football linebacker Taye Brown has been selected to the Chuck Bednarik Award watch list, the Maxwell Football Club announced on Friday.
The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1994 and is named in honor of Chuck "Concrete Charlie" Bednarik who was an All-American player at the University of Pennsylvania and later a multiple year All Pro linebacker and center for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Brown, a senior and Arizona native, started all 13 games for the Wildcats last season and finished second on the team with 93 total tackles; he also tallied 8.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and one interception en route to being named Third Team All-Big 12. Over the course of his three-year career at Arizona, Brown has played in 38 games and piled up 168 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, one interception, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. On 752 defensive snaps last season, Brown earned a PFF defensive grade of 75.9 and a run defense grade of 87.1.
Semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced November 10, 2026, while the three finalists for the will be unveiled November 24, 2026. The winner of the 32nd Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 10, 2026. The formal presentations of the Maxwell Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards on Saturday March 13, 2027, at the Coca Cola Roxy Theater in Atlanta, Georgia.
Brown and the Wildcats open the 2026 season on Saturday, Sept. 5 at Casino Del Sol Stadium in Tucson as they host Northern Arizona.
The Bednarik Award has been presented to the College Defensive Player of the Year since 1994 and is named in honor of Chuck "Concrete Charlie" Bednarik who was an All-American player at the University of Pennsylvania and later a multiple year All Pro linebacker and center for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Brown, a senior and Arizona native, started all 13 games for the Wildcats last season and finished second on the team with 93 total tackles; he also tallied 8.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and one interception en route to being named Third Team All-Big 12. Over the course of his three-year career at Arizona, Brown has played in 38 games and piled up 168 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, one interception, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. On 752 defensive snaps last season, Brown earned a PFF defensive grade of 75.9 and a run defense grade of 87.1.
Semifinalists for the Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced November 10, 2026, while the three finalists for the will be unveiled November 24, 2026. The winner of the 32nd Chuck Bednarik Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 10, 2026. The formal presentations of the Maxwell Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards on Saturday March 13, 2027, at the Coca Cola Roxy Theater in Atlanta, Georgia.
Brown and the Wildcats open the 2026 season on Saturday, Sept. 5 at Casino Del Sol Stadium in Tucson as they host Northern Arizona.
Tickets
Season tickets, single-game tickets, mini plans, and more options for the 2026 Arizona Football season are available for purchase now. Fans who don't want to miss a minute of the action at Casino Del Sol Stadium this fall can secure their tickets by clicking HERE or by calling 520-621-CATS (2287) today.
Players Mentioned
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