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In-Depth

Men of the hour

Larry Fitzgerald, Eli Manning and Greg Olsen are the finalists for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide. A total of $1 million will be donated in the name of the winner, with $500,000 going to a charity of his choice and $500,000 supporting the expansion of Character Playbook across all NFL markets. The two runners-up will each receive a $125,000 donation to the charity of their choice and a $125,000 donation in their names to expand Character Playbook, a digital learning initiative. The winner will be announced in Houston at NFL Honors, a two-hour prime-time awards special airing Saturday on Fox.

Fitzgerald teams with Lenovo to donate tablet computer labs to schools in Minnesota and Phoenix.
Photo by: COURTESY OF ARIZONA CARDINALS
LARRY FITZGERALD
Wide receiver, Arizona Cardinals
Agent: Independent Sports and Entertainment; John Drana (marketing)

Fitzgerald’s foundation, the Larry Fitzgerald First Down Fund, has provided grants of more than $1 million to promote reading and technology access for students K-12 and to support efforts to prevent and cure breast cancer and support breast cancer survivors. Fitzgerald has also teamed with national and international charities to serve as a volunteer to promote vision care for children, to fit people around the world with hearing aids and to visit countries in Africa to promote economic development. Fitzgerald, whose father, Larry Fitzgerald Sr., is an editor and columnist with the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, also teamed up with Lenovo to donate tablet computer labs to 10 schools in Minneapolis and Phoenix, and worked with Riddell to bring the most advanced helmets to 1,000 kids playing youth football in Minneapolis parks.

“When I think about the great things that he does in our community, it probably starts with the foundation he started in his mother’s memory, and that’s the First Down foundation, and all the efforts that he’s put into raising money for research for breast cancer and around breast cancer awareness,” said Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill. Noting how Fitzgerald supports his teammates’ charitable efforts, Bidwill added, “It’s not just for the Cardinals. You see him at Diamondbacks players’ foundations. You see him at Suns players’ foundations. You see him at Coyotes players’ foundations. You see him at so many different other things that he’s doing around the community, in addition to his own and his teammates’ foundations.”

Fitzgerald also was a finalist for the 2012 WPMOY award.


Manning leads the Tackle Kids Cancer initiative in N.J.
Photo by: COURTESY OF NEW YORK GIANTS
ELI MANNING
Quarterback, New York Giants
Agent: Tom Condon, CAA Sports (contract); Alan Zucker, Excel Sports Management (marketing)

Manning has served as the chair of the New York March for Babies for the past seven years, helping raise more than $25 million during that time. Manning also spearheads Tackle Kids Cancer, an initiative with Hackensack (N.J.) University Medical Center. Prior to kicking off an extensive media campaign to raise awareness of this cause, Manning spent time with patients and doctors at the hospital’s pediatric cancer center, learning more about the greatest needs in cancer research. Manning and his wife founded the Eli and Abby Manning Children’s Clinics in 2007, kicking off a five-year fundraising campaign that raised close to $3 million. They also established the University of Mississippi Medical Center Manning Family Fund, which raised nearly $1.5 million in its first year.

“Eli has been a tremendous representative of our organization and the National Football League for 13 years,” said Giants owner John Mara. “He has been a consistent leader on the field and a thoughtful and generous contributor to our community. He and his wife Abby feel an obligation to give back, not only in the New York-New Jersey region but also in Mississippi and Louisiana. His efforts are genuine, heartfelt and meaningful, and we are proud he has been the face of our franchise since 2004.”

Manning’s brother, Peyton Manning, won the 2005 WPMOY award.


Olsen and wife Kara (center) founded the HEARTest Yard Fund.
Photo by: COURTESY OF GREG OLSEN / CAROLINA PANTHERS
GREG OLSEN
Tight end, Carolina Panthers
Agent: Drew Rosenhaus, Rosenhaus Sports Representation (contract); Peter Raskin, Rubicon Talent (marketing)

In 2009, after watching his mother tackle and survive breast cancer, Olsen founded Receptions for Research: The Greg Olsen Foundation. The foundation’s Receiving Hope program focuses on cancer research, support and education programming. The program has distributed more than $520,000 to six hospitals and foundations since 2009.

In early 2013, Olsen and his wife Kara founded the HEARTest Yard Fund after a routine examination of their unborn son, T.J., revealed the infant had hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a congenital defect marked by an underdeveloped left ventricle and aorta. The HEARTest Yard Fund is a family service program administered in conjunction with Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte. Since its inception, the fund has distributed nearly $1.25 million to support families of babies affected by congenital heart disease.

“I was fortunate enough to have played with Walter Payton for several years,” said Panthers head coach Ron Rivera, “and Greg shares many of the same qualities that made Walter so special. Greg’s commitment as a husband, father and community servant reflects Walter’s loving spirit. And the tenacity in which he plays is indicative of Payton’s toughness on the field. I can think of no other player who is as deserving as Greg.”

Olsen’s teammate, linebacker Thomas Davis, won the 2014 WPMOY award.

Man of the Year Winners

The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award recognizes an NFL player for his excellence on and off the field. The award was established in 1970 and renamed in 1999 after the late Hall of Fame Chicago Bears running back, Walter Payton. Each team nominates one player.

YEAR WINNER TEAM
2015 Anquan Boldin San Francisco 49ers
2014 Thomas Davis Carolina Panthers
2013 Charles Tillman Chicago Bears
2012 Jason Witten Dallas Cowboys
2011 Matt Birk Baltimore Ravens
2010 Madieu Williams Minnesota Vikings
2009 Brian Waters Kansas City Chiefs 
2008 Kurt Warner Arizona Cardinals
2007 Jason Taylor Miami Dolphins
2006 (tie) LaDainian Tomlinson San Diego Chargers
2006 (tie) Drew Brees New Orleans Saints
2005 Peyton Manning Indianapolis Colts
2004 Warrick Dunn Atlanta Falcons
2003 Will Shields Kansas City Chiefs
2002 Troy Vincent Philadelphia Eagles
2001 Jerome Bettis Pittsburgh Steelers
2000 (tie) Derrick Brooks Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2000 (tie) Jim Flanigan Green Bay Packers
1999 Cris Carter Minnesota Vikings
1998 Dan Marino Miami Dolphins
1997 Troy Aikman Dallas Cowboys
1996 Darrell Green Washington Redskins
1995 Boomer Esiason New York Jets
YEAR WINNER TEAM
1994 Junior Seau San Diego Chargers
1993 Derrick Thomas Kansas City Chiefs
1992 John Elway Denver Broncos
1991 Anthony Munoz Cincinnati Bengals
1990 Mike Singletary Chicago Bears
1989 Warren Moon Houston Oilers
1988 Steven Largent Seattle Seahawks
1987 Dave Duerson Chicago Bears
1986 Reggie Williams Cincinnati Bengals
1985 Dwight Stephenson Miami Dolphins
1984 Marty Lyons New York Jets
1983 Rolf Benirschke San Diego Chargers
1982 Joe Theismann Washington Redskins
1981 Lynn Swann Pittsburgh Steelers
1980 Harold Carmichael Philadelphia Eagles
1979 Joe Greene Pittsburgh Steelers
1978 Roger Staubach Dallas Cowboys
1977 Walter Payton Chicago Bears
1976 Franco Harris Pittsburgh Steelers
1975 Ken Anderson Cincinnati Bengals
1974 George Blanda Oakland Raiders
1973 Len Dawson Kansas City Chiefs
1972 Willie Lanier Kansas City Chiefs
1971 John Hadl San Diego Chargers
1970 Johnny Unitas Baltimore Colts

Source: NFL.com


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