The 32 nominees for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide were announced today by the NFL. The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, presented by Nationwide, is the league’s highest honor and recognizes NFL players who excel on the field while also demonstrating a desire to make a lasting positive impact off the field.
“The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award is the league’s most prestigious honor given annually to the player who best represents the greatness and compassion of Walter Payton on and off the field,” Roger Goodell, the NFL’s commissioner, said in a statement “These 32 outstanding men are making a valuable difference in their communities every day and we are proud to celebrate their special gifts and humanitarianism.”
During the week leading up to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas, all 32 nominees will be recognized for their accomplishments. The winner of the 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award will be announced on Thursday, Feb. 8, during NFL Honors, a primetime awards special that will air nationally on CBS.
Each nominee supports a variety of initiatives off the field that are important to them and their communities, such as encouraging youth to live healthy lifestyles, assisting veterans, and raising awareness for other causes that are important to them. Each nominee will receive up to $55,000, with the winner receiving a $250,000 donation to the charity of his choice. The NFL Foundation and Nationwide make all donations possible.
The following are this year’s nominees:
Team Nominee
Arizona Cardinals Jonathan Ledbetter
Atlanta Falcons Bradley Pinion
Baltimore Ravens Roquan Smith
Buffalo Bills Dion Dawkins
Carolina Panthers Bradley Bozeman
Chicago Bears Justin Jones
Cincinnati Bengals Ted Karras
Cleveland Browns Anthony Walker Jr.
Dallas Cowboys DeMarcus Lawrence
Denver Broncos Garett Bolles
Detroit Lions Frank Ragnow
Green Bay Packers De’Vondre Campbell
Houston Texans Jon Weeks
Indianapolis Colts Zaire Franklin
Jacksonville Jaguars Dawuane Smoot
Kansas City Chiefs Patrick Mahomes
Las Vegas Raiders Maxx Crosby
Los Angeles Chargers Derwin James Jr.
Los Angeles Rams Cooper Kupp
Miami Dolphins Alec Ingold
Minnesota Vikings Harrison Phillips
New England Patriots Jonathan Jones
New Orleans Saints Tyrann Mathieu
New York Giants Saquon Barkley
New York Jets Solomon Thomas
Philadelphia Eagles Lane Johnson
Pittsburgh Steelers Cameron Heyward
San Francisco 49ers Arik Armstead
Seattle Seahawks Bobby Wagner
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Antoine Winfield Jr.
Tennessee Titans Jeffery Simmons
Washington Commanders Terry McLaurin
This year, fans are encouraged to participate in Nationwide’s annual Charity Challenge, a social media and online contest in which they can show their support for their favorite Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee. Fans can vote on X (formerly Twitter) by posting #WPMOYChallenge along with the nominee’s last name/X handle, or they can vote directly on NFL.com/ManOfTheYear. When multiple nominees share the same last name (for example, Justin Jones and Jonathan Jones), all valid votes on X must include the #WPMOYChallenge hashtag as well as the nominee’s X handle or full name.
The nominee with the most collective hashtag mentions and votes will receive an additional $35,000 donation to the charity of their choice from Nationwide, with the runner-up receiving $10,000 and the third-place winner receiving $5,000. The Charity Challenge voting period runs from December 5 to January 8.
“The nominees for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award continue to impress and inspire all of us year after year,” said Ramon Jones, Nationwide’s EVP and Chief Marketing Officer. “It is an honor for Nationwide to play a role in showcasing and supporting the tremendous work that these community champions do in their team markets, hometowns and across the country.”
Fans can show their support for their favorite nominee even more by taking part in an exciting campaign organized by Alltroo, an online fundraising platform founded by former NFL tight end and three-time Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee Kyle Rudolph. Fans can show their support for their favorite nominee by entering an online fundraiser customized by each player for the chance to win special prizes and experiences such as meet and greets, game tickets, sideline passes, and more through Alltroo. Because of Nationwide’s support, 100% of the funds raised through Alltroo’s campaign will go directly to the nominee’s non-profit/charity of choice. Visit Alltroo.com for more information.
The national award, which was established in 1970, was renamed in 1999 after the late Hall of Fame Chicago Bears legend Walter Payton. Since then, 56 legends and players have received the award, including three current players: Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys, who was named the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year last year, Russell Wilson of the Denver Broncos, and Calais Campbell of the Atlanta Falcons. Throughout the season, each of these players wears a Man of the Year patch on their jersey to recognize the outstanding contributions they have made to the game and their communities.
Beginning in Week 14 and lasting until the end of the season, each of this year’s nominees will also wear a special Man of the Year helmet decal in recognition of their achievements both on and off the field. Goal post wraps with the NFL Man of the Year trophy silhouette will also be displayed in select stadiums.
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