The Walter Payton Man of the Year Award was given out at the end of NFL Honors on Thursday.
The award went to Los Angeles Rams offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth, who has done important work on the field and more important work off of it.
Whitworth, a 40-year-old still playing at a high level, will seek to earn a Super Bowl ring on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, the team he played with before making the move to the West Coast.
Whitworth will become the oldest starting offensive lineman in Super Bowl history. He became the first Rams player to win the award since its inception in 1970.
Whitworth is also the first offensive lineman named Man of the Year since the Baltimore Ravens’ Matt Birk in 2011.
Whitworth helped the Rams to an NFC West title and Super Bowl berth and balanced it all with giving back in Southern California and beyond.
Whitworth launched the Big Whit Homes for L.A. Families program at the beginning of the season and pledged to donate $20,000 after each Rams home game. He also made donations to repair homes in his home state of Louisiana and moved Angelenos facing housing insecurity into affordable homes. In addition, Whitworth works with non-profits in L.A. to aid people in paying rent, buying groceries and offers support for down payments and the furnishing of home. When Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana in August, Whitworth parented with Rebuilding Together to assist with essential home repairs to damaged homes.
As the Walter Payton MOTY, Whitworth receives a $250,000 donation to the charity of his choice.
Nobody more deserving.
For his impact off the field, Andrew Whitworth is your 2021 @Nationwide Walter Payton Man of the Year! #WPMOY pic.twitter.com/rZC1AJuP3i
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) February 11, 2022
