Tag: Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award

Colts’ Zaire Franklin nominated for Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award

Zaire Franklin is the Colts’ nominee for the 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award.

Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin was nominated for the 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award, the league announced Tuesday.

Each team has a nominee for the award, which is described as “the league’s most prestigious honor and acknowledges NFL players who excel on the field and demonstrate a passion for creating a lasting positive impact beyond the game.”

Here is more about the award from the team’s release:

The Walter Payton Man of the Year Award is the most prestigious honor an NFL player can receive. The recipient of the 2023 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award will be announced during the annual NFL Honors show prior to Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 8, 2024. Each Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee will receive up to $55,000, and the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year winner will receive a $250,000 donation to the charity of his choice.

Through his foundation, Shelice’s Angels (named after his late mother, Shelice), Franklin has hosted workshops, seminars and trips designed to arm young women with the tools, confidence and role models they need to succeed as professionals. Franklin founded Shelice’s Angels in 2019, and over the last four years has seen the young women he’s worked with grow up – and be well-equipped to eventually enter professional environments in fields such as business and technology.

Franklin has been a staple in the locker room and on the field for the Colts since he was selected in the seventh round of the 2018 NFL draft. His impact on the community has been just as strong since he joined the Colts, and it’s no surprise he’s the team nominee.

The last time a Colts player won the award was Peyton Manning in 2005.

Colts nominate Shaquille Leonard for Walter Payton Man of the Year

The Maniac is the Colts’ nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award.

The Indianapolis Colts nominated LB Shaquille Leonard for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award.

Leonard, whose 2022 season was lost due to injury and multiple surgeries, wasn’t able to be on the field with his teammates often during this campaign. But that didn’t keep him from making an impact off the field.

“It’s an honor to be named the Colts’ 2022 nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award,” Leonard said via the team’s website. “Since entering the league in 2018, I have strived to use my platform to serve families in the Indianapolis community and my hometown of Lake View, South Carolina. This prestigious honor is a testament to the hard work of my family, friends, the Maniac Foundation and the Colts.”

Through the Maniac Foundation and while being a leading face for the Colts’ Kick The Stigma campaign, Leonard has been an extremely impactful player in his respective communities.

All 32 nominees receive up to a $40,000 donation in their name to their charity of choice while winner of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award will receive a $250,000 donation to the charity of their choice. The recipient of the award will be announced at the NFL Honors during the weekend of the Super Bowl.

It’s been a rough season for Leonard, who has been dealing with a nagging injury that has required multiple surgeries, but he’s still making a massive impact off the field.

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LB Jerome Baker named Dolphins 2021 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee

The linebacker could become the fourth Dolphin to win the honor.

The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award is one of the most prestigious honors in the league, as it is given based on the player’s impact in the community.

The honor isn’t awarded until February, but the league has announced who each team’s nominee is this year, and for the Miami Dolphins, that player is linebacker Jerome Baker.

According to the team, Baker has been involved in many initiatives since being drafted in 2018. He works with the Boys and Girls Clubs in the area to host an annual Christmas event for the children. He helped provide meals to first responders after the collapse of a residential building in the area. He helped the relief efforts in Haiti following an earthquake at the end of the summer. You could go on and on about the work he’s done to give back.

The Dolphins even made a video highlighting just the type of person that Baker is.

If Baker is chosen as the winner of the honor, he would join Dwight Stevenson (1985), Dan Marino (1998), and Jason Taylor (2007) as the only Dolphins to win the award.

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Seahawks nominate Russell Wilson as team’s Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year

The Seattle Seahawks have announced quarterback Russell Wilson as the team’s nomination for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.

The Seattle Seahawks made a very important announcement Thursday morning, nominating quarterback Russell Wilson as the team’s Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.

The prestigious honor recognizes an NFL player for “outstanding community service activities off the field, as well as excellence on the field.”

Each team around the league can nominate one player for the award.

Wilson is widely known for his philanthropic and charitable efforts, especially through his Why Not You Foundation and weekly visits to Seattle Children’s Hospital.

“It’s been really important for Ciara and me, especially with everything that’s happened in 2020, to step up and try to make a difference in areas like racism, social injustice, and food insecurity and to be able to impact a family that is facing tough challenges,” Wilson said via the press release.

“Since I got here in 2012, I understood there was an opportunity to use my platform to love, serve, and give back,” Wilson continued. “That’s been one of the core principles of life that my parents taught me. It’s a principle that Ciara and I want to be able to teach not only our kids, but their kids one day.”

Click here for a complete list of all 32 players nominated around the league.

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Colts nominate Jacoby Brissett for Walter Payton Man of the Year award

Jacoby Brissett is up for a prestigious award.

The Indianapolis Colts named quarterback Jacoby Brissett their nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award in 2020, the team announced Thursday.

Despite reverting to the backup role behind Philip Rivers, Brissett has been one of the leaders in the locker room since he arrived in 2017. It’s his work in the community that has earned him this nomination as the Walter Payton award “recognizes an NFL player for outstanding community service off the field, as well as excellence on the field.”

“I am honored and humbled to be named the Colts Walter Payton Man of the Year, and I appreciate all of the support I’ve received from my teammates and the organization,” said Brissett in a statement. “As NFL players, we’re privileged to play a game we love while having the platform to influence individuals and make a difference in the community. I’m proud to have the opportunity to set a good example and highlight the importance of giving back.”

The Colts moved on from Brissett following his starting campaign in 2019 and opted to sign Rivers to a one-year deal to be the starter. But Brissett is still a key cog in the locker room and has seen a role increase in recent weeks in short-yardage situations.

“Jacoby is extremely deserving of this honor and he embodies everything Walter Payton and the award stand for,” said Frank Reich. “I cannot overstate the importance of Jacoby Brissett to this team. He is a leader, a special teammate and is highly respected by everyone in our organization. Simply put he’s played a significant role in our success both on and off the field. I’m so impressed with the job Jacoby has done addressing the needs of his community both in Indianapolis and in his hometown in Florida. His conviction, vision and action have made tangible changes and lasting impacts while influencing those around him to do the same.”

All 32 nominees receive a $40,000 donation to the charity of their choice while the winner will receive a $250,000 donation to the charity of their choice. The winner will be announced at the NFL Honors awards show.

Pierre Desir is Colts’ nominee for Walter Payton Man of the Year award

Pierre Desir nominated for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award.

The Indianapolis Colts have named cornerback Pierre Desir as the team’s nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award.

The Colts have had two winners of the award since its inception: quarterbacks Johnny Unitas (1970) and Peyton Manning (2005). Unitas was the first one to ever win the award.

“Pierre defines professionalism. He is a guy who is always prepared, he’s always focused, he’s a guy that young guys can easily follow – on and off the field. He’s consistent. He’s trustworthy. He’s a guy you can rely and count on all the time,” said David Thornton, Director of Player Engagement for the Colts. “The true mark of a good leader is their ability to help those around them become better. Pierre is definitely one of those individuals who makes those around him better.”

Here’s the full list of nominees for the award:

The Man of the Year Award is named after the former Chicago Bears running back and recognizes a player for outstanding community service as well as excellence on the field.

Bobby Wagner nominated for Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award

Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner has been nominated by the team for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.

The Seattle Seahawks selected star middle linebacker Bobby Wagner as their nominee for the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

Presented by Nationwide, the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award recognizes an NFL player for community service and other off the field areas, as well as performance on the field.

“This means a lot,” Wagner said. “I’ve been fortunate to see so many guys around me inspire me do amazing things off the field and do more than just play. I’m thankful to be in the position to make a small difference in our community.”

Wagner has been involved in a handful of charities in his time with the Seahawks, including “Walk for Wagner” for stroke awareness and “BWagz Sees You” where he delivered supplies to homeless people in the Seattle area.

As a nominee, Wagner will wear a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal through the end of the season in recognition of his accomplishments on and off the field.

From the press release:

“The 2019 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year will be announced during NFL Honors, a two-hour primetime awards special to air nationally on Feb. 1, the eve of Super Bowl LIV, on FOX.

All 32 nominees will receive a donation of up to $50,000 in their name to their charity of choice. For his donation, Wagner has selected the HBCU Foundation, which provides scholarship aid to deserving students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The winner of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award will receive a $250,000 donation to the charity of their choice. All donations are courtesy of the NFL Foundation and Nationwide.”

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