NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell recently called the late Deacon Jones an "icon among icons" as a charismatic keeper of the NFL flame.
Now Goodell has come up with a permanent way to honor Jones, who is credited with coining the term quarterback "sack."
A person informed of the league's plans tells NFL.com's Ian Rapoport that the NFL's leader in sacks will receive the Deacon Jones Award beginning in 2013. The award will be among those featured in the nationally televised "NFL Honors" award show the night before the Super Bowl.
Read more: Deacon Jones Award will honor future NFL sack leaders