The American Heart Association announced that the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award will return to EA SPORTS College Football 27's Dynasty Mode, allowing fans to earn the National Coach of the Year honor in the video game. This marks the second consecutive year the award has been included in the franchise, joining other prestigious accolades such as the Heisman Trophy and the Lombardi Award.
The inclusion of the Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award in the video game series is part of the American Heart Association's broader effort to celebrate college football coaches who embody Bryant's legacy of excellence, leadership, and character. The award also serves to engage fans and raise awareness about heart disease and stroke, which remain the nation's leading killers.
The Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards, now in their 41st year, honor coaches at multiple levels, including the National Coach of the Year, Newcomer Coach of the Year, and Conference Coach of the Year. The 2025 Coach of the Year was Indiana's Curt Cignetti, and the 2026 winner will be announced at a ceremony in Houston on January 27, 2027. The award is selected after the national champion is determined, making it the only college football coaching honor with that distinction.
Coach Bryant's storied career began at Fordyce High School and the University of Alabama, where he played before becoming head coach at Maryland, Kentucky, Texas A&M, and finally Alabama. He amassed 323 wins, six national championships, and 14 SEC titles. After his death from a heart attack in 1983, the Bryant family partnered with the American Heart Association to preserve his legacy and fund research into heart disease and stroke.
EA SPORTS College Football 27 is set for release on Monday, July 9. For more information on the American Heart Association Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards, visit www.bryantawards.org.
