The NFL recently announced the 32 nominees (one from each team) of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. It will be handed on February 1 during the NFL Honours, on the eve of the Super Bowl.
One of these nominees will receive the prestigious award. All of them will receive a $50,000 donation to their choice of charity while the winner will receive a $250,000 donation.
All donations are from the NFL Foundation and Nationwide.
Nationwide is also continuously rolling out a Charity Challenge wherein fans can vote through Twitter by using the hashtag #WPMOYChallenge followed by the nominee’s name. Challenge winners will also receive $25,000, $10,000, and $5,000.
Let’s take a close look at the first 15 nominees’ most notable contributions.
2019 NFL Man o the Year Award nominees
David Johnson (Arizona Cardinals RB): His Mission 31 Foundation raises fund to provide opportunities for seriously ill children and their families
Ricardo Allen (Atlanta Falcons DB): A member of the Falcons’ Social Injustice Committee which addresses and resolves various forms of social injustices in Atlanta
Brandon Carr (Baltimore Ravens DB): His Carr Cares Foundation advocates for sports and education for children
Lorenzo Alexander (Buffalo Bills LB): His ACES Foundation encourages participation in sports to achieve a healthy mind and body and raises money for medical causes
Cam Newton (Carolina Panthers QB): His Cam Newton Foundation commits itself to enhance the lives of youth through addressing their educational, social, and physical needs
Allen Robinson II (Chicago Bears WR): His Within Reach Foundation targets to impact up to 5,000 students through various outreach programs by 2020
Giovani Bernard (Cincinnati Bengals RB): The Bernard Family Foundation, through Gio, aims to help Haiti, the family’s ancestral country
Jarvis Landry (Cleveland Browns WR): Champions finding a cure to cystic fibrosis, an inherited disorder affecting the digestive system, lungs and other internal organs
Travis Frederick (Dallas Cowboys OL): His Blocking Out Hunger Foundation raises fund to support local food banks, fighting hunger in North Texas
Justin Simmons (Denver Broncos DB): Works directly with various community organizations, volunteering more than 3,500 minutes to 20 different local organizations in 2019 alone
Devon Kennard (Detroit Lions LB): Advocates for education and literacy and volunteers as a youth mentor
Blake Martinez (Green Bay Packers LB): Volunteers at homeless shelters; involves in Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Salvation Army; donates to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for every 100 followers he earns on twitch.tv and 100% of the money he receives from ads and subscriptions
D.J. Reader (Houston Texans DL): Actively supports the National Kidney Foundation after losing his father to a kidney failure
Pierre Desir (Indianapolis Colts DB): Donated a weight room known as the FHC Performance Center to his former high school; also supports the Lupus Foundation of America
Calais Campbell (Jacksonville Jaguars DL): His CRC Foundation donates to local charities in Denver; designates four charities every month to receive funds based on his on-field performance
Learn how other NFL players contribute in Part 2 of this article.
Who do you think will win 2019 Man of the Year Award? Let us know.
