Kenny Clark, Rasul Douglas are recipients of the 2022 PFWA Tom Mulhern Stand-Up Guy award

GREEN BAY − There are times when the Green Bay Packers locker room is vibrating with youthful exuberance and energy. When music pumps, players joke and anyone and everyone is willing to get in front of a camera or recorder to talk about what all went right in that week’s game. 

Then there are times, like this season, when the Packers are on a five-game losing streak. A pall hangs over the silence and it’s easier to just walk away than break down all that went wrong. 

Those are the days when defensive lineman Kenny Clark and cornerback Rasul Douglas still willingly sat in their lockers, making themselves available even if they wanted to be anywhere else. They answered reporters' questions thoughtfully, broke down plays endlessly for those writing analysis and became a steady voice for their teammates amid outside noise. 

“We all got a job to do,” Clark said Friday. “Gotta respect you guys’ work. I just feel like it’s the right thing to do, win or lose, come up and talk and explain what happened in the game or whatever the case may be.”

Which is why on Friday, the Green Bay chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America named Clark and Douglas the recipients of the annual Tom Mulhern Stand-Up Guy award.

This award, voted on by beat writers who are apart of the PFWA, honors the player or players who have exemplified professionalism, availability and candidness with the media throughout the season. 

“I think that’s the biggest thing for me is I respect everyone’s work,” Douglas said upon accepting the award. “I respect you guys’ work. I understand y’all have a job to do. I think it’s different. You guys don’t try to attack anybody. You don’t try to make stories or try to cause drama here. You ask great questions and talk to us. I like it a lot.”

Douglas arrived in Green Bay during the 2021 season, when all media availability was still handled on Zoom due to COVID-19. From the moment media returned to the locker room this offseason, Douglas established relationships with reporters and a reputation as a trusted voice to speak for his team through good and bad. 

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“I always been comfortable talking, especially being one of the players who it’s easy to talk to. It’s just been natural since I’ve been here with you guys. Just feeling like a team here,” Douglas said. “I always ask the guys about how the locker room is with the  media because in Philly (Philadelphia, with the Eagles) the media mob is big. They can sway something you say. I asked them and they said y’all are great at asking questions and not switching up words. Just keeping the main focus, the main focus.” 

Clark, who has been with the Packers since 2016, has won the award twice, joining Tramon Williams (twice) and Davante Adams (three times) as multiple-time recipients. 

“Anytime you’re in the same realm as those guys, it’s great,” Clark said. “I’m super appreciative for the award. I respect everybody’s work. Anytime I got a chance to talk and you guys have a question, I’m going to answer it.”