Minnesota Vikings

Vikings COO Kevin Warren earns Texas Southern University Pioneer Award

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 12:26 p.m. ET

Fansided, Adam Carlson/FanSided via The Viking Age

The inaugural Texas Southern University Pioneer Award has been awarded to Minnesota Vikings chief operating officer Kevin Warren.

In 2005, the Minnesota Vikings promoted Kevin Warren to the position of chief operating officer. At that point, he became the highest ranked African-American on the business side of an NFL franchise.

This achievement has not gone unnoticed. Recently, Texas Southern University worked with Washington Redskins senior vice president of communications Tony Wylie to create the Pioneer Award, which was awarded to Warren on Saturday, February 4, 2017.

Announcing the award on the official Minnesota Vikings website, COO Kevin Warren spoke about the honor.

“I am honored and humbled to receive the inaugural Texas Southern University Pioneer Award,” Warren said. “I am keenly aware of the sacrifices others made before me to give me the opportunity to work and excel in the National Football League.”

While the award itself and the prestige that comes with it is fantastic, this honor holds a special place in the heart of Warren considering the university and its contributions to society.

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“This award is extra special for its affiliation with Texas Southern University – a University with graduates who have contributed immensely to Texas and the United States in all fields, including law, medicine, music, politics, sports and education. I will do my best to honor Texas Southern University and this award on a daily basis and continue to work hard in the National Football League, for the Vikings, for my family and for my community.”

Tony Wylie was one of the driving forces to create this award and ensure that a quality individual would be the first recipient. Wylie had nothing but kind things to say about Warren, Texas Southern University, and the Pioneer award.

“Kevin is deserving of this award,” Wylie said. “His promotion as the highest ranking African-American National Football League team executive is a testament to his talents and work ethic that he has displayed throughout his 19-year NFL career. The fact that my alma mater, Texas Southern University, is benefiting from Kevin’s success makes this award extra special.”

Congratulations to Kevin Warren on earning this immense honor from Texas Southern University and to the Minnesota Vikings on promoting a well-deserving individual to the chief operating officer position in their organization.