Top photos of 2023 NFL season revealed in Pro Football Hall of Fame’s annual contest
General
Published on : 4/30/2024
An uncommon photograph of a common football play has been chosen as the best image submitted for judging from the 2023 National Football League season.
Adam Hunger, a freelance photographer working for the Associated Press at an NFL game Oct. 15, 2023, submitted “Pass Break Up” in the 56th annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Photo Contest, and the panel of judges declared it the winner of the Dave Boss Award of Excellence.
“Pass Break Up” shows New York Jets cornerback Craig James deflecting a pass intended for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus in the end zone during the teams’ game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Hunger, who has been working as a freelancer for more than 20 years, said he returned to editorial assignments only recently after a long stint in commercial photography. In his career, Getty, Reuters, Sports Illustrated and AP have published his sports images.
Interestingly, “Pass Break Up” was the only image Hunger submitted for the annual contest.
“Usually, I will stand in the end zone or a couple of feet up the sideline when a team enters the red zone,” he said of his preparation for the play. “Everything just happened to all line up for me. It was a rarity.”
Judges also used the word “rare” in describing the photo and why they selected it as the 2023 Photograph of the Year and winner of the Dave Boss Award of Excellence, which is named for the former vice president of publishing and creative services for the National Football League.
“It’s rare to get a defensive photo that’s so clear,” they said. “From a technical standpoint, everything about the photo is perfect: the fingertip on the ball, the sharpness, the focus. Look, the receiver still thinks he’s going to catch it.”
The Hall of Fame’s prestigious contest is open to professional photographers on assignment to cover NFL games. Photos taken during the 2023 NFL season, from the preseason through Super Bowl LVIII, were eligible.
Hunger’s entry was the first-place winner in the Action category.
Logan Bowles, a photographer with the NFL, took first place in the Feature category. His photo, “Together As One,” captured Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Kwamie Lassiter II fist- bumping a young fan wearing a Ja’Maar Chase jersey in the tunnel prior to taking the field for a preseason game in Atlanta against the Falcons.
“I’ve been in that (Mercedes-Benz) stadium so many times, but I never saw kids (in that tunnel area). I wondered what might happen,” Bowles said. “The frame turned out better than I imagined.”
Hunger, Bowles and the second- and third-place finishers in each category will receive cash prizes from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Hunger has been invited to attend the 2024 Awards of Excellence program June 26-27 in Canton to receive additional acclamation.
All 20 of the photos that received honorable mention or higher will be displayed on a continuous video loop at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Hunger’s image and others also will be printed and mounted for display.
Five prominent photo editors/photographers reviewed more than 1,200 images submitted in the two categories and reached their decisions after a series of cutdown votes. The panel included: Ben Liebenberg, director of photography and lead photographer for the NFL; Terrell Lloyd, director of photography and lead team photographer for the San Francisco 49ers; Brad Smith, vice president of photography at WWE; Paul Spinelli, SpinPhotos, Inc. and former director of photographic services for NFL; and Kevin Terrell, photographer-image creator/photo editor for Kevin Terrell Photography.
Adam Hunger, a freelance photographer working for the Associated Press at an NFL game Oct. 15, 2023, submitted “Pass Break Up” in the 56th annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Photo Contest, and the panel of judges declared it the winner of the Dave Boss Award of Excellence.
“Pass Break Up” shows New York Jets cornerback Craig James deflecting a pass intended for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus in the end zone during the teams’ game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Hunger, who has been working as a freelancer for more than 20 years, said he returned to editorial assignments only recently after a long stint in commercial photography. In his career, Getty, Reuters, Sports Illustrated and AP have published his sports images.
Interestingly, “Pass Break Up” was the only image Hunger submitted for the annual contest.
“Usually, I will stand in the end zone or a couple of feet up the sideline when a team enters the red zone,” he said of his preparation for the play. “Everything just happened to all line up for me. It was a rarity.”
Judges also used the word “rare” in describing the photo and why they selected it as the 2023 Photograph of the Year and winner of the Dave Boss Award of Excellence, which is named for the former vice president of publishing and creative services for the National Football League.
“It’s rare to get a defensive photo that’s so clear,” they said. “From a technical standpoint, everything about the photo is perfect: the fingertip on the ball, the sharpness, the focus. Look, the receiver still thinks he’s going to catch it.”
The Hall of Fame’s prestigious contest is open to professional photographers on assignment to cover NFL games. Photos taken during the 2023 NFL season, from the preseason through Super Bowl LVIII, were eligible.
Hunger’s entry was the first-place winner in the Action category.
Logan Bowles, a photographer with the NFL, took first place in the Feature category. His photo, “Together As One,” captured Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Kwamie Lassiter II fist- bumping a young fan wearing a Ja’Maar Chase jersey in the tunnel prior to taking the field for a preseason game in Atlanta against the Falcons.
“I’ve been in that (Mercedes-Benz) stadium so many times, but I never saw kids (in that tunnel area). I wondered what might happen,” Bowles said. “The frame turned out better than I imagined.”
Hunger, Bowles and the second- and third-place finishers in each category will receive cash prizes from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Hunger has been invited to attend the 2024 Awards of Excellence program June 26-27 in Canton to receive additional acclamation.
All 20 of the photos that received honorable mention or higher will be displayed on a continuous video loop at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Hunger’s image and others also will be printed and mounted for display.
Five prominent photo editors/photographers reviewed more than 1,200 images submitted in the two categories and reached their decisions after a series of cutdown votes. The panel included: Ben Liebenberg, director of photography and lead photographer for the NFL; Terrell Lloyd, director of photography and lead team photographer for the San Francisco 49ers; Brad Smith, vice president of photography at WWE; Paul Spinelli, SpinPhotos, Inc. and former director of photographic services for NFL; and Kevin Terrell, photographer-image creator/photo editor for Kevin Terrell Photography.
56TH ANNUAL PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME PHOTO CONTEST (2023 SEASON)
Dave Boss Award of Excellence, 2023 (Photo of the Year)
Action Winner – Adam Hunger, Freelance/Associated Press
Action category
First Place – Adam Hunger, Freelance/Associated Press, “Pass Break Up,” Philadelphia Eagles at New York Jets, Oct. 15, 2023. (Image shown above.)
Second Place – Al Diaz, Miami Herald, “Mostert's Eye-Popping Hurdle,” Carolina Panthers at Miami Dolphins, Oct. 15, 2023.
Third Place – Kevin Sabitus, NFL Focus, “London Falling,” Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oct. 22, 2023.
Honorable Mention – Brennan Asplen, Miami Dolphins, “Crack Heard 'Round the World,” Miami Dolphins at Kansas City Chiefs, Jan. 13, 2024.
Honorable Mention – Sam Hodde, Freelance/Associated Press, “Stretch Goal,” Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys, Dec. 30, 2023.
Honorable Mention – Mike Carlson, Freelance/Tampa Bay Buccaneers, “1 over 1,” Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oct. 22, 2023.
Honorable Mention – Ryan Kang, NFL, “Aiyuk Missile,” San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles, Dec. 3, 2023.
Honorable Mention – Ben Krause, Minnesota Vikings, “The Passtronaut Blasts Off,” New Orleans Saints at Minnesota Vikings, Nov. 12, 2023.
Honorable Mention – Ryan Meyer, Cincinnati Bengals, “Rookie Sandwich,” Houston Texas at Cincinnati Bengals, Nov. 12, 2023.
Honorable Mention – Kevin Sabitus, NFL Focus, “Spotlit,” New York Jets at Miami Dolphins, Dec. 17, 2023.
Second Place – Al Diaz, Miami Herald, “Mostert's Eye-Popping Hurdle,” Carolina Panthers at Miami Dolphins, Oct. 15, 2023.
Third Place – Kevin Sabitus, NFL Focus, “London Falling,” Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oct. 22, 2023.
Honorable Mention – Brennan Asplen, Miami Dolphins, “Crack Heard 'Round the World,” Miami Dolphins at Kansas City Chiefs, Jan. 13, 2024.
Honorable Mention – Sam Hodde, Freelance/Associated Press, “Stretch Goal,” Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys, Dec. 30, 2023.
Honorable Mention – Mike Carlson, Freelance/Tampa Bay Buccaneers, “1 over 1,” Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oct. 22, 2023.
Honorable Mention – Ryan Kang, NFL, “Aiyuk Missile,” San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles, Dec. 3, 2023.
Honorable Mention – Ben Krause, Minnesota Vikings, “The Passtronaut Blasts Off,” New Orleans Saints at Minnesota Vikings, Nov. 12, 2023.
Honorable Mention – Ryan Meyer, Cincinnati Bengals, “Rookie Sandwich,” Houston Texas at Cincinnati Bengals, Nov. 12, 2023.
Honorable Mention – Kevin Sabitus, NFL Focus, “Spotlit,” New York Jets at Miami Dolphins, Dec. 17, 2023.
Feature category
First Place – Logan Bowles, NFL, “Together As One,” Cincinnati Bengals at Atlanta Falcons, Aug. 18, 2023.
Second Place – Kyle Zedaker, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, “Field of Vision,” Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Green Bay Packers, Dec. 17, 2023.
Third Place – Kyle Rivas, Rivas Media, “Euphoria,” Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers, Feb. 11, 2024.
Honorable Mention – Don Juan Moore, The Outlook News/Getty Images, “Overjoy,” San Francisco 49ers at Jacksonville Jaguars, Nov. 12, 2023.
Honorable Mention – Daniel Szpakowsk, Dan Szpakowski, “Every Drop of Sweat,” New York Jets at Carolina Panthers, Aug. 12, 2023.
Honorable Mention – Emma Pravecek, Green Bay Packers, “Gratify the Why,” New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers, Sept. 24, 2023.
Honorable Mention – Andrew Mather, Kansas City Chiefs, “A Cold Kelce,” Miami Dolphins at Kansas City Chiefs, Jan. 13, 2024.
Honorable Mention – Nathan Ray Seebeck, USA Today Sports, “Eye for the Game,” Denver Broncos at Miami Dolphins, Sept. 24, 2023.
Honorable Mention – Lauren Sopourn, Freelance/Miami Dolphins, “The Game Plan,” New York Jets at Miami Dolphins, Dec. 17, 2023.
Honorable Mention – Zach Tarrant, Houston Texans, “DROY's First Career Sack,” Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens, Sept. 10, 2023.
Second Place – Kyle Zedaker, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, “Field of Vision,” Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Green Bay Packers, Dec. 17, 2023.
Third Place – Kyle Rivas, Rivas Media, “Euphoria,” Kansas City Chiefs vs. San Francisco 49ers, Feb. 11, 2024.
Honorable Mention – Don Juan Moore, The Outlook News/Getty Images, “Overjoy,” San Francisco 49ers at Jacksonville Jaguars, Nov. 12, 2023.
Honorable Mention – Daniel Szpakowsk, Dan Szpakowski, “Every Drop of Sweat,” New York Jets at Carolina Panthers, Aug. 12, 2023.
Honorable Mention – Emma Pravecek, Green Bay Packers, “Gratify the Why,” New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers, Sept. 24, 2023.
Honorable Mention – Andrew Mather, Kansas City Chiefs, “A Cold Kelce,” Miami Dolphins at Kansas City Chiefs, Jan. 13, 2024.
Honorable Mention – Nathan Ray Seebeck, USA Today Sports, “Eye for the Game,” Denver Broncos at Miami Dolphins, Sept. 24, 2023.
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