2020 hasn’t been a season to remember for either Dallas Cowboys or Los Angeles Chargers as the two enter Week 14 both at 3-9 and play out the proverbial round.
It was however a good day for a pair of former Notre Dame players though, as linebacker Jaylon Smith of the Cowboys and defensive end Isaac Rochell of the Chargers were both announced today as “Walter Payton Man of the Year” nominees.
Congratulations to @thejaylonsmith and @Isaacrochell90 on being nominated for the #WPMOY! #GoIrish x #IrishInTheNFL pic.twitter.com/DaDi5k2vey
— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) December 13, 2020
From Chargers.com on Rochell;
But in a year like 2020, he took serving the community to new heights. Whether it was providing $5,000 worth of groceries for roughly 45 families before Thanksgiving, funding meals to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, taking it upon himself to sponsor wishes through local Make-A-Wish chapters, or rallying his teammates to support the continual call for social justice, Rochell led the charge to do work that goes beyond the stat line.From DallasCowboys.com on Smith:
“The Dallas Cowboys are proud to name Jaylon Smith as our 2020 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year candidate,” said Charlotte Jones, Dallas Cowboys Executive Vice President and Chief Brand Officer. “Jaylon exemplifies every quality that this award celebrates. He has a light that he wants to share and shine on others that is rare. We are excited to see what more he can accomplish through his work with minority entrepreneurs and the many other endeavors that he supports.”
Jerome Bettis, Dave Duerson and Joe Theismann are the only three Notre Dame players to win the “Man of the Year” Award while several other have been nominated by their respective teams over the years.