Dec 9, 2021 2 min read

Pitt sophomore Jordan Addison was named the winner of the 2021 Biletnikoff Award, presented annually to the country’s outstanding wide receiver, during ESPN’s College Football Awards show Thursday night.

Addison becomes the third Pitt player to win the prestigious award, joining Antonio Bryant (2000) and Larry Fitzgerald (2003). Bryant and Fitzgerald were also sophomores when they were honored.

Addison was selected over fellow finalists David Bell of Purdue and Jameson Williams of Alabama.

“This is an absolutely incredible honor,” Addison said. “Every day at our practice facility I walk past the Biletnikoff Award trophies won by Larry Fitzgerald and Antonio Bryant. I always go up and put my hand on the trophy because it was my goal to one day win it. I am so humbled and blessed to join those all-time greats. I share this honor with all of my teammates, Coach (Pat) Narduzzi and my wide receivers coach, Brennan Marion. This is just as much their award as it is mine.”

The Panthers are tied for the most Biletnikoff winners in the history of the award, which goes back to 1994.

Addison produced like the nation’s finest pass catcher all season. He has compiled 93 receptions for 1,479 yards and a nation-leading 17 touchdowns. His yardage ranks third in the country and first among receivers from power 5 conferences.

In Pitt single-season annals, Addison’s receiving yardage and scoring receptions are second only to Fitzgerald, who had 1,672 yards and 22 scores in 2003.

Addison is also second at Pitt in receptions in a season. He needs just four catches in Pitt’s bowl game to eclipse Maurice Ffrench’s record of 96 set in 2019.

His most memorable performance came in one of Pitt’s biggest games of the season, the Panthers’ Coastal Division-clinching 48-38 win over Virginia. Addison had 14 catches for 202 yards and four touchdowns against the Cavaliers. He became just the fourth Pitt player with 200 receiving yards in a game.