The Houston Texans announced Christian Kirksey as the team’s 2022 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee Tuesday.
The award is considered the league’s most prestigious honor and recognizes a player for their outstanding community service activities off the field and excellence on the field.
“We are proud to call Christian Kirksey a leader on our team and in the Houston community,” Texans chairman and CEO Cal McNair said. “He sets an example for everyone on how to do things on and off the field, and he is incredibly deserving of this honor.”
In recognition of this nomination, Kirksey will wear a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal through the end of the 2022 season.
The ninth-year linebacker was part of the Texans’ partnership with Texas Southern University last season and awarded a local high school coach with Coach of the Week honors.
In 2022, Kirksey traveled to Uvalde, Texas following the tragedy at Robb Elementary School to surprise the Uvalde High School football team at their team dinner. Kirksey also helped provide the players with new Nike uniforms and make meaningful connections with the young men.
“I think that we have a job not just playing football, but to be role models and to be a helping hand,” Kirksey said at the team dinner in September.
Each nominee from all 32 teams were announced Tuesday and will receive a $40,000 donation in their name to a charity of their choice.
The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award winner will be announced the Thursday before Super Bowl LVII on NBC and receive up to a $250,000 donation to the charity of his choice courtesy of the NFL Foundation and Nationwide.
Texans fans are encouraged to vote for Kirksey by participating in the eighth annual Charity Challenge by tweeting #WPMOYChallenge and Kirksey’s Twitter handle — @Kirko58.
The three nominees with the most mentions between Dec. 6 and Jan. 8 will receive additional donations to the charity of their choice. More information and official rules for the social media contest can be found at NFL.com/manoftheyear.