Ask any NFL veteran which trophy they’d rather have on their mantle—the MVP or the Walter Payton Man of the Year—and you might be surprised by the answer. Sure, the MVP is about being the best on the planet for 17 weeks. But the Man of the Year? That’s about who you are when the cameras are off and the pads are in the locker.
Honestly, it’s the only award where the winner gets a permanent patch on their jersey for the rest of their career. It’s a literal badge of honor. You’ve probably seen it on guys like Dak Prescott or Cam Heyward—a small, gold-and-blue silhouette of a cloaked figure.
That figure is Walter "Sweetness" Payton.
What is the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award anyway?
Established back in 1970, the award was originally just called the NFL Man of the Year. It was renamed in 1999 to honor the legendary Bears running back after he passed away. Walter wasn't just a force of nature on the field; he was a humanitarian who spent his life giving back.
Today, it’s basically the league’s highest honor. Every single year, each of the 32 NFL teams nominates one player. These aren't just guys who show up for a hospital visit once a year for a PR stunt. We're talking about players who start massive foundations, change state laws, and pour millions of their own dollars into their communities.
The 2024 winner, Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Arik Armstead, is a perfect example. He didn’t just write a check. He founded the Armstead Academic Project to tackle educational inequality. He even helped pass a literacy bill in California. That’s the kind of "Man of the Year" energy the league is looking for.
The 2025 Nominees and the New Rules
As we head toward Super Bowl LX in 2026, the buzz around the current nominees is huge. On December 4, 2025, the NFL announced the latest crop of 32 club winners.
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You’ve got names you know, like Travis Kelce for the Kansas City Chiefs and Jordan Mailata for the Philadelphia Eagles. Then you have guys like DJ Reader from the Detroit Lions, who has been a nomad for community service, bringing his passion for youth empowerment from Houston to Cincinnati and now to Detroit.
But here’s the thing: the award is undergoing a bit of a mid-life crisis regarding accountability.
Why the NFL had to tighten the rules
In late 2025, an investigation by The Arizona Republic and CharityWatch found some pretty messy details. It turns out, some player-run charities weren't exactly "charitable." Some were spending less than 50 cents of every dollar on actual programs, with the rest going to management fees or marketing.
Basically, the NFL got a wake-up call. Starting with the 2025 cycle, the league implemented strict vetting:
- Charities must be in good legal standing with their state.
- They must have valid 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status (the IRS isn't playing around).
- They have to prove they are actually doing the work they say they are.
It sounds like common sense, but for a long time, the "optics" of a foundation were enough. Not anymore. Now, if your nonprofit's paperwork is a mess—like the situation with DJ Moore's foundation having its status revoked in 2022—you’ve got to get it fixed before you can wear that patch.
How the Winner is Actually Chosen
So, how do we get from 32 nominees down to one? It’s not just a popularity contest.
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A panel of judges makes the final call. This group usually includes NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Walter’s widow Connie Payton, the previous year’s winner, and a rotating cast of former players and media members.
They look at two things:
- Excellence on the field: You still have to be a good football player. You don’t have to be a Pro Bowler, but you need to be a contributor.
- Impact off the field: This is the heavy lifter. They want to see long-term commitment.
The winner is announced every year at NFL Honors, the big awards show on the Thursday before the Super Bowl. For the 2025 award, that happens on February 5, 2026.
The Money (and the Helmet Decals)
The winner doesn’t just get a trophy. They get a $250,000 donation to the charity of their choice. Even the other 31 nominees get up to $40,000 for their causes.
From Week 14 through the end of the season, all 32 nominees wear a special decal on their helmets. If you’re watching a game in December or January, look for that little trophy silhouette on the back of the helmet. It’s a quiet way for the league to say, "This guy is one of the good ones."
The Travis Kelce "Charity Challenge" Factor
You can't talk about this award lately without mentioning the Nationwide Charity Challenge. This is the fan-vote portion of the festivities.
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On January 7, 2026, Travis Kelce was named the winner of the Charity Challenge for the 2025-26 season. It’s actually his third time winning it—making him the first player ever to do that. Fans flooded X (formerly Twitter) with the #WPMOYChallenge hashtag to help him win an extra $35,000 for his charity, Operation Breakthrough.
Kelce’s "Ignition Lab" in Kansas City is actually a pretty cool spot. It’s a refurbished muffler shop where kids learn digital media, coding, and culinary arts. It's the kind of tangible, brick-and-mortar impact that makes a nominee stand out to the judges.
Real Impact vs. PR Fluff
There’s always a debate about whether these awards are just a way for the NFL to look better. Critics point to the mismanagement issues mentioned earlier. And they have a point.
However, when you look at someone like Demario Davis of the New Orleans Saints, it’s hard to be cynical. His Devoted Dreamers Foundation has been cited as one of the most efficient, spending about 81 cents of every dollar directly on helping kids.
Then you have Jordan Mailata, the Eagles' massive left tackle. He’s a former rugby player from Australia who had never played a down of American football until a few years ago. Now, he’s a 2025 nominee who spent his Christmas giving back to the Philly community and supporting the Philadelphia Children’s Alliance.
The award matters because it provides a blueprint for younger players. When a rookie sees a superstar like Dak Prescott wearing that patch, they realize that success in the NFL isn't just about the contract—it's about the legacy.
What You Can Do Next
If you want to support the work these players are doing, don't just wait for the Super Bowl announcement.
- Check the Efficiency: Before you donate to a player’s foundation, use a tool like Charity Navigator or CharityWatch. Look for organizations that spend at least 70–75% of their budget on actual programs.
- Support Local Nominees: Every team has a nominee. If you're a fan of the Lions, look into what DJ Reader is doing in Detroit. If you're a Bills fan, see how Dion Dawkins is supporting the Buffalo community.
- Vote in the Challenge: Keep an eye out every December for the #WPMOYChallenge. It costs you nothing to tweet a hashtag, but it can earn a local charity an extra $35,000.
The Walter Payton Man of the Year Award is a reminder that even in a sport as brutal and bottom-line-driven as the NFL, there's still room for a little heart. Whether it's Arik Armstead fighting for literacy or Travis Kelce building labs for kids, these guys are proving that their biggest plays happen far away from the end zone.