The name of the legendary Paul “Bear” Bryant is synonymous with excellence in college football, and once again, fans playing EA SPORTS College Football 27’s Dynasty Mode will have the chance to win the American Heart Association’s Paul “Bear” Bryant Award as the game’s National Coach of the Year. The announcement, made on July 2, 2026, confirms that the award will be featured in the upcoming game, set for release on July 9.
Last year’s release saw the Bryant Award join the Heisman Trophy, Lou Groza Award, Lombardi Award, Unitas Golden Arm Award, and Broyles Award as featured awards in the game. The continued inclusion of the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award in one of the most celebrated video game franchises is another step in efforts by the American Heart Association to celebrate college football coaches who embody Bryant’s legacy and principles of excellence, and to engage with fans who draw inspiration from his example of leadership and character.
The American Heart Association’s Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards, now in their 41st year, annually present the individual Heart of a Champion Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, Newcomer Coach of the Year Award, Conference Coach of the Year Awards, and the Paul “Bear” Bryant National Coach of the Year Award. Indiana’s Curt Cignetti was the 2025 Coach of the Year, and the 2026 winner will be announced at a ceremony in Houston, Texas on Wednesday, January 27, 2027. The Coach of the Year award is voted on by the National Sports Media Association, current NCAA college football coaches, former Coach of the Year winners, the awards’ Executive Leadership Team, and the Bryant family. This award is the only college football coaching honor selected after the National Champion has been determined.
Coach Bryant’s journey to the top of college football began in 1913 in Moro Bottom, Arkansas, as a player for Fordyce High School and then the University of Alabama. He began his head coaching career at the University of Maryland in 1945, and after successful stints at the University of Kentucky (1946-53) and Texas A&M (1954-57), Coach Bryant took over the Alabama program in 1958 and led the Crimson Tide through the 1982 season. He won 323 games against 85 losses and 17 ties, capturing six national championships, 14 SEC Championships, and one Southwest Conference championship. A three-time American Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year and 12-time SEC Coach of the Year, Bryant passed away from a heart attack on January 26, 1983, just under one month after coaching his final game.
After his passing, the Bryant family and the American Heart Association collaborated to keep his legacy alive, raise funds to support lifesaving scientific research, and drive greater awareness of the risks surrounding heart disease and stroke, the nation’s leading killers. EA Sports College Football 27 will be released on Monday, July 9. For more information on the American Heart Association Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards, visit www.bryantawards.org.
