The Walter Payton Man of The Year Award is presented to an individual each year by the NFL (National Football League). This award is given to the athlete in honor of his charity work and volunteer time along with his performance on the field. Each year, one player from each of the 32 teams is nominated. The athlete that is selected for the Man of the Year Award receives a $50,000 dollar donation in their name to a charity of their choice. The other 31 athletes that were nominated, also received a donation of $5,000 for the charity of their choosing. Three athletes in particular; Eli Manning, Greg Olsen and J.J. Watt, have made a major impact and contribution within their community and received the nomination for this award.
Eli Manning, two-time Super Bowl champion and MVP, has set the majority of the team’s passing records throughout his 13 seasons. He sets a great example on the field, but his impact off the field showed everyone how great of a person he truly is. Manning helps out and gives back to various organizations. Some of the organizations that he works with are: the March of Dimes, Alliance for Lupus Research, the American Red Cross, All Stars Helping Kids, the Phoenix House, and the Eli and Abby Manning Children’s Clinics in Jackson, MS. Manning set an example both on and off the field, and his tremendous work help him receive this special honor. In 2007, Eli undertook a 5- year campaign for the construction of “The Eli Manning Children’s Clinics” at the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children that ended up raising $2.5 million. After making this great contribution, Eli said, “I am humbled by the work they do and am honored to make this five-year commitment to help raise funds to build this state-of-the-art clinic that will serve Mississippi families for years to come.” Over the past seven years the March of Dimes has engaged donors and has raised awareness of the organization. Manning helped raise more than $25 million through his efforts with the March for Babies. Eli Manning also serves as a member of American Red Cross’ Celebrity Cabinet where he urges people to perform extraordinary life-saving acts. For numerous years, he has supported Guiding Eyes for the Blind, an internationally accredited, nonprofit guide dog school where dogs are provided to those who are visually impaired. Annually, he is in attendance for their golf classic and dinner fundraiser. Eli, along with his father Archie and brother Peyton, serve as an ambassador of reading for Scholastic’s ClassroomsCare program. This program helps kids with their reading who are in need and ultimately will lead to 1 million donated books. Manning has showed dedication to various organizations to better the surrounding communities. Doing so, he earned The Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2017 for all of his hard work and donations over the years.
Greg Olsen was yet another nominee for the Walter Payton Award in 2018, and was a top 3 nominees at that. He was a five-time team captain, three time Pro Bowler, and the first tight end in NFL history with three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons (2014-16). Olsen ranks in the top 10 all-time in receptions and receiving yards and is approaching the top 10 in receiving touchdowns, among NFL tight ends. In 2009, after watching his mother tackle and survive breast cancer, Olsen founded Receptions for Research; The Greg Olsen Foundation. His mission through the foundation, is to ensure that everyone has a “second chance at life,” just like his mother. The foundations Receiving Hope program has a focus on cancer research, support, and education programming. Since 2009, this particular program has distributed over $666,000 to six different hospitals and foundations across the US. The funding is generated by events chaired, planned and executed entirely by Olsen. The most notable and largest fundraiser of the program is “Kicks for a Cure”, which has raised $850,000 in its eight-year history and is held annually in Chicago. In 2013, Greg and wife, Kara, started the HEARTest Yard Initiative after they went through a routine examination of their unborn son, T.J., had revealed that the infant has Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS), a congenital defect marked by an underdeveloped left ventricle and aorta. The program provides families of babies affected by congenital heart disease with a multitude of services. These services include in-home, private nursing care, physical therapy and speech therapy, all at no cost to the families or hospital. The program provides about $30,000 worth of nursing care, which is equivalent to approximately 460 hours, per family during the first six months after the baby is born. The fund has distributed about $2 million in support. In 2017, Greg and Kara announced they were going to expand Hearted Yard’s and open a new cardiac neurodevelopmental program, which is the first, and most comprehensive program of its kind in the southeast. This program serves hundreds of children with heart conditions annually which will provide care from the moment they are born until adulthood. Personally, the Olsens have personally contributed $750,000 to help start the program and get it running. "It’s a great honor. There are so many guys who do so much for the community, and to be chosen as one of three finalists for the second time is just awesome," Olsen said. "I’m really thankful for the team for selecting me and all the people who choose the finalists for having me again now."
The Walter Payton Man of the Year Award 2018 winner was J.J. Watt. In his 7th NFL season. J.J. has been named to the Pro Bowl 4 times and is a 4-time first-team All-pro. He head the league is sacks in 2012 and 2015, J.J. was also named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in both of those years along with 2014. In late August, Hurricane Harvey hit texas leaving it tied to be the costliest tropical cyclone on record, inflicting $125 billion in damage, primarily from catastrophic rainfall which had triggered flooding throughout the Houston area. J.J. was in Dallas watching the events unfold and posted a video on social media announcing a fundraising campaign with a goal $200,000 and he would match the $100,000. Within 19 days, he has raised more than $37 million. The fundraising became a second job for J.J. whenever he was not on the field he was focusing on his campaign. He made a promise to ensure that every dollar that was raised went directly to the people of Houston and the surrounding areas that were in need. J.J. has had a consistent dedication to charitable services which began at a young age when the thought of being in the NFL was just a dream. He had started the J.J. Watt Foundation in Wisconsin in 2010 out of desire to help underserved kids. This foundation that he had started had provided over $3.4 million for the funding for after-school athletic programs from the grades of 6th – 8th grade. In addition, J.J. works regularly with organizations, such as Make-A-Wish, to create special experiences for children whose only desire is to spend the day with him. J.J. shows passion and authentic care for his teammates, coaches and supporters, and the same sportsmanship applies to his charitable initiative as well as his desire to help others reach their goals and achieve their dreams.
The Person of the Year is an award given to an individual by an organization. Most often, it is given to an athlete who is performing on the field, but is excelling off the field and making a positive impact towards the surrounding community. Eli Manning, Greg Olsen and J.J. Watt are all great examples and excellent role models that care about the others around them and strive to do good every day. Their constant contribution is noticed throughout the NFL along with the fans who follow. The nominees of the Walter Payton Person of the Year Award have made a great impact on others around us, and continues to show the great support throughout the years. Without the donations and hard work from the people of the surrounding communities, the efforts made by the players would not make as much of an impact. With the help of the communities, the charities and organizations help hundreds of people in need of shelter, medical aid, educational help, and making dreams come true.