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ESPY 2020 Results, Recipients and Speeches from Sunday's Awards Show - Bleacher Report

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 10: (L-R) Russell Wilson, Ciara, Megan Rapinoe, and Sue Bird attend The 2019 ESPYs at Microsoft Theater on July 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images)
Rich Fury/Getty Images

It was clear from the beginning that Sunday's ESPYs would not be the traditional awards show on ESPN honoring excellence on the field. 

Hosts Russell Wilson, Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird called for social justice and an end to racism while highlighting the Black Lives Matter movement in the opening five minutes. Rather than recognizing sports championships, they highlighted some of the most iconic athletes who fought for social justice throughout history, including Jackie Robinson, Bill Russell, Muhammad Ali and Serena Williams.

Wilson also asked, "What if we didn't know their names? What if they were never part of the conversation?"

It underscored the reality that many Black people, including George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, can no longer tune in and watch sports. Because of that, the segment stressed how important it is to continue the fight against systemic racism and police brutality that has sparked worldwide protests in recent weeks.

The opening was not the only time the fight for justice was featured in the show, as New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins introduced a segment calling for an end to systemic racism, asking white athletes and people to join the fight, and ending with the message that "none of the officers who murdered Breonna Taylor have been arrested."

That the segments were less about sports and more the bigger picture felt appropriate since much of the show was about just that.

The COVID-19 pandemic has wiped out team sports in the United States for the time being and canceled many spring and winter championships in the NCAA. Tom Brady and Robin Roberts had a message to all the graduating seniors, including Sabrina Ionescu and Cassius Winston, in a well-deserved tribute to those who missed the chance for a championship:

While many athletes missed the chance for a championship because of the pandemic, boxer Kim Clavel seized the opportunity to become a hero. 

When a major bout was canceled, she went to the front lines of the crisis as a nurse in a COVID-19 zone. "Boxing will come back but right now I can say the pandemic is my main event," she said.

Thanks to that heroism, Clavel took home the Pat Tillman Award For Service:

There were also some of the light-hearted moments the ESPYs is known for, including a spoof of Tiger King with Brady as Tampa King, "Snacks" taking home an award and Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce informing Kansas City Chiefs fans and actors Rob Riggle, Heidi Gardner and Eric Stonestreet over Zoom there would not be a Best Team award this year.

They could at least take solace in the fact the ESPYs honored head coach Andy Reid for winning his first career Super Bowl title. Keegan-Michael Key also tried to get 150 Olympic medals on screen:

The ESPYs also featured a number of highlight montages of team performances, up-and-coming stars and the usual candidates of individual excellency, but they were largely filler in between more important messages and honors for acts of heroism.

Minnesota Twins slugger Nelson Cruz took home the 2020 Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award for his efforts in the community. Among his humanitarian efforts is a program to help young people learn different things with an eye on future employment and the Healing Venezuela initiative that provides nourishment to newborns and babies:

Mesabi Range College running back Taquarius Wair joined Cruz as an award winner with the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance.

Wair lost the fingers on his left hand at four years old in a fire that killed his sister. He has since undergone a number of surgeries and plays football at Mesabi Range College after overcoming adversity throughout his life.

Heroism and striving for a better community can go beyond an individual level, and the Los Angeles Dodgers were recognized with the Sports Humanitarian Award in part because their Dodgers Dreamfield program has provided access to baseball and softball fields in underserved areas in Los Angeles:

There was more Los Angeles at the ESPYs with Snoop Dogg's tribute to Kobe Bryant:

The final individual award went to Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love, who was recognized with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. Love discussed a panic attack he had during a 2017 game in an article for The Players' Tribune and has since worked to destigmatize mental health issues through the Kevin Love Foundation.

"It is an absolute honor to receive this award and I am incredibly humbled by it," Love said in a statement, per ESPN. "In telling my story, if I can help just one child that is suffering to make sense of what they are experiencing, I know my efforts have been worth it.

"And I hope one day we are able to erase the stigma around mental illness, starting with public conversations around mental health and encouraging people to seek help when they need it, followed by research, action, and change."

It was fitting that Love helped conclude a powerful ESPYs with such a strong message.

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