JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Arik Armstead became the second Jaguars player to win the Walter Payton Man of the Year award at the NFL Honors event on Thursday night, the headliner in a tough evening of accolades for Jacksonville players.
Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. finished fourth in balloting for Offensive Rookie of the Year and former running back Fred Taylor wasn’t elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Jaguars were even on the receiving end of a verbal jab by presenter Nikki Glaser.
Recommended Videos
But Armstead’s win in one of the night’s most prominent categories brought some satisfaction for Jaguars fans.
The award is given annually to the player who displays excellence on and off the field. Armstead, who signed with the Jaguars in free agency last year, is the first Jacksonville player since Calais Campbell to win the coveted award. Campbell won it in 2019.
“Receiving the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award is an incredible honor — one that goes beyond football. This award represents the power of service, the responsibility to uplift others, and the impact we can create through education,” Armstead said. “Through the Armstead Academic Project, my mission has always been to provide students with the resources they need to succeed. This recognition is a testament to that work, but there’s still so much more to do. I’m committed to using my platform to create real change — because the work doesn’t stop here.”
Armstead had been a five-time nominee for the Man of the Year Award and has contributed more than $2 million to charitable causes during his career. The award comes with a $265,000 donation to a charity of Armstead’s choice.
Armstead said that he wasn’t satisfied with his underwhelming first year on the field with Jacksonville, but his contributions off of it can’t be undersold. Armstead and his wife, Mindy, started the Armstead Academic Project in 2019. That group “provides youth with positive spaces, tools, and academic support to unlock their potential and achieve their goals.”
It wasn’t uncommon for Armstead to appear throughout Jacksonville elementary schools last season to read to young students.