When did NFL set up the Walter Payton Man of the Year award? History behind league's prestigious honor

Modified Feb 06, 2024 15:14 GMT

NFL Walter Payton Man of The Year Press Conference — When did NFL set up the Walter Payton Man of the Year award? History behind league's prestigious honor

The Walter Payton Man of the Year Award was initially called the NFL Man of the Year Award.

However, in 1999, following the death of legendary running back Walter Payton, the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award was renamed to honor the player's quest for philanthropy and community impact and excellent ability on the gridiron.

According to the NFL website, the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award acknowledges a player's excellence on and off the field. Each franchise nominates a player who has had a noteworthy positive impact on his community in the year of review.

The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award honoree receives a $250,000 donation to a charity of his choice. Also, all 32 nominees get up to a $55,000 donation to a charity of their choice. The donations are from the NFL Foundation and Nationwide.

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Who won the Walter Payton Man of the Year award last year?

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott received the 2022 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. The perennial Pro Bowler earned the award due to his charity work through his Faith Fight Finish Foundation.

Prescott uses the FFF foundation to address causes close to his heart, hoping to improve and save as many lives as possible. The Cowboys shot caller is vocal about his efforts to seek help for depression and anxiety to help others.

Prescott was awarded at last year's NFL Honors, beating competition from Patrick Mahomes, Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, Derwin James and Arik Armstead, nominated by their teams.

After receiving the award, Prescott spoke about his responsibility to use his platform "to make an impact on our communities and to love our neighbors."

Past 10 winners of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award

Here's a rundown of the last 10 winners of the Walter Payton Man of the Year award:

2013 Charles Tillman, Chicago Bears
2014 Thomas Davis, Carolina Panthers
2015 Anquan Boldin, San Francisco 49ers
2016 Larry Fitzgerald & Eli Manning, Arizona Cardinals/ New York Giants
2017 J.J. Watt, Houston Texans
2018 Chris Long, Philadelphia Eagles
2019 Calais Campbell, Jacksonville Jaguars
2020 Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
2021 Andrew Whitworth, Los Angeles Rams
2022 Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

About the author

Nick Uzochukwu Igbokwe is an NFL journalist at Sportskeeda. He loves the thrill and excitement that comes with the complex plays on the Gridiron. American football is an acquired taste, and he has been hooked on the game since discovering it in 2017 during his University days.

Furthermore, Nick has interviewed agents, medical personnel, and close family members of NFL stars, who have reached out to him after reading his stories.

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Edited by Bhargav