2025 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award: Chiefs’ Travis Kelce, Ravens’ Derrick Henry among NFL’s club winners

The NFL has announced its 32 club winners for the 2025 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. The award, which is named after the Bears legendary running back, is given annually to a player who demonstrates excellence on the field and a significant commitment to philanthropy and community service off the field. 

Every NFL team chooses one club winner for the award, with the recipient of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award being announced at the NFL Honors ceremony ahead of Super Bowl LX. 

“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.”

Below is a rundown of each of the club winners for 2025. 

Each club winner will be recognized during the week leading up to Super Bowl LX in the Bay Area. The charitable beneficiary of each club winner will receive up to $40,000, and the nonprofit chosen by this year’s Walter Payton Man of the Year will receive up to $250,000, courtesy of the NFL Foundation and the Nationwide Foundation.

Beginning in Week 14, each club winner will wear a special Man of the Year decal on their helmet in recognition of their charitable efforts. The eventual Walter Payton Man of the Year recipient will wear a Man of the Year patch on his jersey for the remainder of his career. 

The award was officially established in 1970 and was renamed in 1999 to honor the late Payton, who won the award in 1977. Past winners include Cameron Hayward, Dak Prescott, Andrew Whitworth, and Russell Wilson. 

The NFL Honors will air on Thursday, Feb. 5 on NFL Network and FOX at 9 p.m. ET.