Travis Kelce, Derrick Henry, Baker Mayfield and Jordan Love are among the 32 players nominated for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.
The prestigious award recognizes players for their commitment to community service and excellence on the field.
Each team announced its representative on Thursday. The national winner will be announced during NFL Honors on Feb. 5.
“The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award is our league’s most revered honor, celebrating players for their excellence both on and off the field,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. “These 32 men represent the best of the NFL, and the incredible contributions they make to their teams and communities every day continue to keep Walter’s legacy alive.”
Kelce founded the Eighty-Seven & Running Foundation in 2015, which empowers disadvantaged youth in the Kansas City community by providing resources and community support to showcase their talents in the areas of education, business, athletics, STEM, and the arts.
Henry, a five-time Pro Bowl running back and 2020 AP Offensive Player of the Year, has hosted annual back-to-school and holiday events, donating supplies, bikes and toys to hundreds of children in his hometown of Yulee, Fla., since 2016. He launched the Two All Carnival in 2024 and, as a two-time Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee in Tennessee, supported youth through Boys & Girls Clubs, back-to-school drives and donations of shoes, gear and tickets. Henry has contributed more than $22,500 to programs such as H.O.P.E. and Blessings in a Backpack, provided nearly $100,000 in COVID-19 relief, and donated to disaster recovery efforts globally. His generosity extends to families in crisis — covering rent, replacing furniture and offering direct financial assistance.
“I’m just trying to give back, be a resource, very blessed to have the platform that I have,” Henry told the AP. “God has blessed me tremendously. So, I just want to do the Lord’s work of giving back, being a positive influence, and reaching as many communities that have had an effect on me and just trying to be a blessing to these kids.”
Upon his arrival in Tampa in 2023, Mayfield and his wife launched the Baker and Emily Mayfield Foundation, hosting their first community event with the inaugural “Be the Ball” before taking his first snap with the Buccaneers. In the past three years, this event has raised nearly $600,000 for the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County to empower the next generation and enhance early childhood learning.
Love launched his foundation, Hands of 10ve, in 2024 to empower children from all backgrounds to participate in sports, raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention and foster stronger relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve — all causes deeply personal to him.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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