Tag: Walter Payton Man of the Year

Ted Karras wins Walter Payton Man of the Year Charity Challenge fan vote

A big win for Bengals OL Ted Karras.

Cincinnati Bengals center Ted Karras won the Walter Payton Man of the Year Charity Challenge after a long fan voting process, becoming the first Bengals player to do so.

With the win, he will have $35,000 awarded to his charity partner, the Village of Merici, which provides opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in his hometown of Indianapolis.

Karras became the Bengals nominee because of his signature Cincy hat which he started selling in 2022. Since then he has had more than $800,000 in sales, with more than $325,000 going to the Village of Merici. Karras has also matched $100,000 in donations since then.

Karras is a finalist for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award which will be announced Feb. 8 during NFL Honors. If he wins the award, he will get an additional $250,000 donation for the charity of his choice.

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Ted Karras is Bengals nominee for Walter Payton Man of the Year Award

A huge moment for Ted Karras.

The Walter Payton Man of the Year Award nominees have been announced and the Cincinnati Bengals player nominated is Ted Karras.

The award is given to a player who not only excels on the field but also gives back to his community and has a positive impact outside of football as well.

Karras started selling his Cincy Hat in 2022 which featured Bengals colors and claw marks. In the year since the website was launched, it has raised over $800,000 in sales with all proceeds past $325,000 going to Village of Merici.

Village of Merici is based in Karras’ hometown of Indianapolis and is a non-profit living community and service provider for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, which he has been closely involved with as a donor, fundraiser and event host since 2016.

“I’m truly honored,” Karras said. “I’m so grateful to be a part of Village of Merici and grateful to everyone in the Cincinnati community. I can’t believe how this project turned into something like this. What a very humbling experience.”

When Cincy Hat started, Karras matched $100,000 in donations and hat orders, and since then it has expanded to selling shirts, visors and onesies to go along with the original hats.

“The financial support The Cincy Hat project has provided Village of Merici is incredible,” Colleen Renie, Village of Merici Executive Director said. “This project has become 10 times larger than any other fundraiser we have throughout the year. It’s given us the ability to think bigger and reach more adults in need. We have a large waitlist of adults in need of services, and we’ve been able to hire more coaches and serve more people with this new income stream.”

Each team in the NFL had a player nominated for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, and each of them will be honored in the week leading up to the Super Bowl, with the winner being announced during the NFL Honors on Feb. 8 on CBS. The winner will receive a $250,000 donation to the charity of his choice.

Fans can vote for Walter Payton Man of the Year here, or by posting on Twitter with #WPMOYChallenge included in the post along with the name of the player they would like to vote for.

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Broncos nominate Garett Bolles for Walter Payton Man of the Year award

Congrats to Broncos LT Garett Bolles for being nominated for the prestigious Walter Payton Man of the Year Award!

The Denver Broncos named left tackle Garett Bolles the team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee on Tuesday.

This is Bolles’ first nomination for the award, which is given annually to the player who displays excellence on and off the field. Bolles’ work with Colorado and Utah youth with learning disabilities and youth in Colorado detention centers among other community outreach highlights the leader he is on and off the field.

Bolles finds himself in great company, with several former Broncos teammates who have been recipients of the honor. In 1992, Denver Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway won the award; in 2005, fellow Hall of Famer Peyton Manning received the award as a member of the Indianapolis Colts, and current Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson won the award during his tenure with the Seattle Seahawks in 2020.

Each nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award gets to wear a helmet decal for the rest of the season in recognition of the honor. Those who win the award, like Wilson, get to wear a jersey patch with a silhouette of the award.

Last year, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott won the award.

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WATCH: Terry McLaurin learns he’s Commanders’ Walter Payton Award nominee

Terry McLaurin gets emotional learning he’s Washington’s nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

On Tuesday, Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin was selected as Washington’s 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award nominee.

The Walter Payton Man of the Year Award is given annually to an NFL player who excels both on and off the field. McLaurin has been a constant presence in the DMV community since he was drafted in 2019 and has been Washington’s most popular player since his arrival.

The Commanders shared how McLaurin learned he was the Payton Award nominee, bringing him to tears.

McLaurin was sitting in a room at the team’s Ashburn headquarters, waiting for what he thought was an interview with Washington legend Santana Moss — now employed by the team.

Instead of Moss, McLaurin’s girlfriend, Caitlin, entered the room and informed McLaurin he was Washington’s nominee.

McLaurin then explained why this meant so much.

Terry McLaurin is a great football player. He’s an even better human being. It’s easy to see why he is so beloved by Washington fans and the DMV community.

Anthony Walker Jr. named Browns’ nominee for Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award

Captain Anthony Walker Jr. was announced as the Cleveland Browns nominee for Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award

Cleveland Browns linebacker and captain Anthony Walker Jr. was announced as the team’s nominee for the 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. The Walter Payton Award is one of the most prestigious awards in the NFL. The award is given to the player who made the most positive impact in their community.

Walker became an important figure in the Browns’ Stay In The Game, the flagship program of the Cleveland Browns Foundation. Stay In The Game! supports students staying in school and combats chronic absenteeism in the community. In September, Walker hosted a Back to School event at Shaker Heights Middle School where he distributed over 100 backpacks and school supplies to students. Afterward, he treated the students to ice cream. 

Walker showed further support for Stay In The Game! when he dedicated his cleats from My Cause, My Cleats to the organization. Walker took drawings from elementary school students and incorporated them into a design for the cleats he wore during the Broncos’ game.

During Thanksgiving week, Walker celebrated students for their attendance by awarding them with a Turkey Bowl tournament and a Thanksgiving meal.

Walker will wear a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal for the rest of the season. The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year winner will be announced during the NFL Honors program on Thursday, Feb 8.  Each nominee will receive a 55-thousand-dollar donation, and the winner will receive a 250-thousand-dollar donation to a charity of their choice. 

Walker is doing important work in Northeast Ohio and it’s good to see him get recognized by the league. Teams are at their best when leaders on the field are trying to contribute even more off the field. The team was very proud of Walker for being named the nominee. Watch below as Greg Newsome II informs Walker he is the nominee.

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Bradley Bozeman named Panthers’ Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee

Panthers C Bradley Bozeman has been named one of 32 nominees for the 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

The man in the middle may end up being the man of the year.

On Tuesday, the NFL announced its 32 nominees for the 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. Representing the Carolina Panthers is center Bradley Bozeman.

Despite being in only his second year as a member of the organization, Bozeman has firmly established his presence within the community. Through the Bradley and Nikki Bozeman Foundation, as well as their SYNC (Serving Your Neighbors and Communities) Program, the lovable hog molly and his beloved wife Nikki have worked to combat childhood bullying and food insecurity.

Bozeman will now wear a Walter Payton Man of the Year decal on his helmet for the remaining five games of the season. That decal can turn into a patch on his jersey if he is announced as this year’s winner, which we’ll find out during NFL Honors on the night of Thursday, Feb. 8

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Terry McLaurin named Commanders’ Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee

Congratulations to Terry McLaurin.

Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin has been selected as Washington’s 2023 nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year, which is given annually to the player who not only excels on the field but also positively impacts the community.

The fifth-year wide receiver started the Terry McLaurin Foundation after entering the NFL in 2019 and has maintained a presence in the local community throughout his time in Washington. McLaurin won the 2022 NFLPA Community MVP Award for Week 2 for his work in giving back to the local community.

“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,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “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.”

All 32 nominees will receive recognition for their work in the week leading up to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. The winner will be announced during NFL Honors on Feb. 8.

Congratulations to Terry McLaurin.

Chiefs nominate QB Patrick Mahomes for the 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award

Chiefs nominate QB Patrick Mahomes for the 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award

The NFL has announced the players nominated by each of the 32 NFL teams for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. One of the highest annual honors by the NFL, the award signifies on-field excellence and a commitment toward serving their communities off the field.

For the second consecutive season, the Kansas City Chiefs have nominated quarterback Patrick Mahomes for the prestigious award. The reigning league Most Valuable Player leads the club to an 8-4 record, sitting atop the AFC West. He’s completed 301 of his 444 pass attempts for 3,127 yards with 22 touchdowns and ten interceptions.

“The Chiefs organization and the Kansas City community could not ask for a better leader on the field and representative off of it, which is why we are honored to once again announce Patrick Mahomes as the club’s nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award,” Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt wrote, via press release. “Patrick, along with his family and his foundation, truly exemplifies the characteristics that this award represents. Since his career began in 2017, he has demonstrated an ever-increasing commitment to bettering the communities around him. Patrick uses his platform to help those in need, and we feel that he is more than deserving of this high honor. We believe Patrick and his family will continue to impact and empower communities across the country for years to come.”

Since entering the league as the Chiefs’ 10th overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft, Mahomes has significantly impacted both on and off the field. In 2019, he established his foundation, 15 and the Mahomies Foundation, which has emphasized improving the lives of children with a continued focus on supporting health, wellness, and various communities in need of resources.

“It’s such an honor to be nominated again by the Chiefs as the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year,” Mahomes said. “As a dad of two, it means the world to me to be able to provide opportunities and support to underserved youth, and my family and I are so humbled to be in the running for an award that means so much to the Chiefs organization and to our community. It’s crazy to see the way 15 and the Mahomies has grown and continues to make more and more of a difference for kids here in Kansas City, across Texas, and beyond. We know there is still so much work to be done, and we’re so grateful and humbled by the support that Chiefs Kingdom gives us and the foundation. It’s truly an honor to represent my foundation, Chiefs Kingdom, my family, as well as the Payton family and Hunt family.”

Mahomes will wear a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal through the end of the season, along with the other 31 nominees, in recognition of their accomplishments on and off the field. He won last year’s Nationwide Charity Challenge, extending the Chiefs team streak to three seasons.

Chiefs fans can support Mahomes by voting on X (formerly Twitter) using the #WPMOYChallenge hashtag followed by “Mahomes” or his Twitter handle. If Mahomes receives the most votes between Dec. 5 and Jan. 8 this year, fans can also vote by visiting NFL.com/ManOfTheYear. The player who gets the most hashtag mentions and online votes wins an additional $35,000 for their charity. The runner-up receives $10,000, and third-place will receive $5,000 for their charity, all courtesy of Nationwide. You can vote and find hashtag information and official rules at NFL.com/ManOfTheYear.

Patriots CB nominated for Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award

Longtime Patriots CB Jonathan Jones gets recognized as a Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee.

The NFL revealed all 32 nominees for the 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award on Tuesday, and veteran cornerback Jonathan Jones made the list for the New England Patriots.

It’s an award that recognizes a player’s contributions on and off the field to the greater wide community.

Jones, who was recently honored with the Ron Burton Community Service Award, is known for his philanthropic efforts in the community, including working diligently in establishing the Jonathan Jones Next Step Foundation, which encourages and empowers the youth.

“You don’t do these things for recognition when you go out into the community to help people,” Jones said back in August, via Patriots.com’s Alexandra Francisco. “But when people do recognize the things you do, for me, it’s just another opportunity to bring awareness and get more people to come in and help.”

The winner of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award gets $250,000 donated to their charity of choice, while all 32 nominees receive up to $55,000 donated to their charities from the NFL Foundation and Nationwide.

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