Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award
The NFL's most prestigious accolade honoring philanthropy and on-field excellence.
The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award is presented annually by the National Football League (NFL) honoring a player's commitment to philanthropy and community impact, as well as his excellence on the field. Prior to 1999, it was called simply the NFL Man of the Year Award. Shortly after Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton died in 1999 (having been the 1977 recipient himself), the award was renamed to honor his legacy as a humanitarian.
Quick Facts
- Role
- Annual NFL Award for Community Service and On-Field Excellence
- Named after
- Walter Payton (Chicago Bears Legend)
- Original name
- NFL Man of the Year Award
- Renamed year
- 2020
- Bears recipients
- Walter Payton (1977), Khalil Mack (2023, while with Los Angeles Chargers)
- Selection body
- Nominated by head coaches; selected by a committee of former players, media members, and league officials
Lore & Background
The NFL Man of the Year trophy was created in 1969 by artist Daniel Bennett Schwartz, depicting an undistinguished caped lineman standing alone on the sidelines, outside of game action. While offensive lineman Steve Wright was used as a model for the sculpture, the trophy has never been intended to specifically resemble anybody, symbolizing that the award is meant to recognize any player, including those in lower-profile positions. Each year, a winner is selected from 32 nominees from the 32 different teams. A panel of judges, which includes the Commissioner of the NFL, the previous year's winner, and a number of former players, selects the winner. The winner receives a $250,000 donation in his name to a charity of his choice; the other 31 finalists receive $50,000 each. The Kansas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Chicago Bears have had five winners each, more than any other teams.
Reader's Guide
Since 2017, previous winners who are currently active in the league wear a patch depicting the trophy on their uniforms for the rest of their NFL careers. The current active winners (in chronological order) are Calais Campbell, Dak Prescott, Cameron Heyward, Arik Armstead and Bobby Wagner. Once the 32 nominees are announced, each is given a small helmet decal depicting the trophy to wear for the remainder of that season. Recent winners have also been acknowledged during the Super Bowl pre-game ceremony before 'America the Beautiful' and 'The Star-Spangled Banner'. The NFL describes the award as its 'most prestigious accolade'.
More in Honours & Records
Elsewhere in Chicago Bears
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced