Beginning in 1966 the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA) annually awarded the George Halas Trophy to the most outstanding defensive player in the National Football League (NFL). The winner was released via the NEA news service and also appeared in the World Almanac, which was an NEA publication. The award ran through 1998. It was considered one of the major awards and was included in the NFL Record and Fact Book and its winners appeared in the encyclopedia, Total Football II.