The Kansas City Chiefs announced this morning that quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been selected as the team’s nominee for the Nationwide-sponsored Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.

It is one of the NFL’s most prestigious individual awards, given in recognition of an NFL player’s exceptional community service efforts in addition to their athletic prowess. Mahomes is joined in the announcement today by 31 additional candidates, one from each NFL team.

“The Chiefs organization and the Kansas City community could not ask for a better leader on the field and representative off of it, which is why we are honored to once again announce Patrick Mahomes as the club’s nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award,” Clark Hunt, chief executive officer of the Chiefs. “Patrick, in conjunction with his foundation and family, genuinely embodies the qualities that are emblematic of this honor.” Ever since he began his professional career in 2017, he has exhibited a growing dedication to improving the communities in which he resides. Patrick assists those in need through his platform, and we consider him to be exceedingly worthy of this prestigious honor. It is our firm conviction that Patrick and his family will persistently influence and enable communities nationwide for the foreseeable future.

“It’s such an honor to be nominated again by the Chiefs as the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year,” Mahomes declared. “Being able to offer opportunities and assistance to marginalized youth is a tremendous honor for me as a father of two. My family and I are deeply honored to be considered for an award that has such a positive impact on the Chiefs organization and our community. The exponential growth of 15 and the Mahomies, an organization that advocates for children in Kansas City, Texas, and beyond, is truly remarkable. We recognize that much remains to be accomplished, and we are so appreciative and humbled by Chiefs Kingdom’s and the foundation’s support. It is a tremendous honor to represent my family, the Payton family, and the Hunt family in addition to my foundation, Chiefs Kingdom.”

All 32 winning teams will be recognized as finalists and highlighted for their significant contributions during the weekend preceding Super Bowl LVIII, for the fourth consecutive year. The 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year will be unveiled on the Thursday before Super Bowl LVIII, CBS, during NFL Honors, a primetime awards special that will broadcast nationally.

Each of the 32 nominees will have a maximum of $55,000 donated to the charity of their choosing. In lieu of compensation, the recipient of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award shall be granted a charitable contribution of $250,000. Donations in their entirety are provided by Nationwide and the NFL Foundation. Mahomes, in recognition of his achievements both on and off the field, will share a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet insignia with the remaining 31 nominees until the conclusion of the season.

Mahomes, who was selected tenth overall by the Chiefs in the 2017 NFL Draft, has established a noteworthy influence in all aspects of football and non-football since his inception. His foundation, 15 and the Mahomies Foundation, was established in 2019 with a continued emphasis on health, wellness, and resource-deficient communities, with a particular dedication to bettering the lives of children. Thus far, the foundation has disbursed in excess of $4 million in grants and programs, which have had a discernible effect on fifteen organizations. Locally, the Mahomies Foundation has received recognition, as it was ranked among the largest charitable trusts and foundations in Kansas City by grant volume in the Kansas City Business Journal.

Numerous pivotal moments have been cultivated by Patrick and 15, in collaboration with the Mahomies Foundation. To begin the 2023-24 NFL season, the organization made a national partnership proclamation with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. In addition to his $1.625 million donation, Mahomes has pledged to donate $1,500 for each touchdown he scores during the regular season to Boys and Girls Clubs of America. This further emphasizes the significance of touchdowns for him this season. His dedication will provide financial support for the enhancement of Boys and Girls Clubs of America facilities in areas that are significant to Mahomes and his spouse, Brittany, such as Lubbock, Tyler, and Whitehouse, Texas, in addition to Greater Kansas City.

Mahomes collaborated with Make-A-Wish prior to the 2023–24 NFL season to grant the aspirations of ten children afflicted with life-threatening maladies. Patrick dedicated his time to personally engage with every child, bestowing upon them mementos, engaging in football games, and fostering an indelible experience. 15 and the Mahomies has additionally directed its efforts towards addressing adolescent illiteracy concerns via the “Read for 15” initiative. This program was developed with the intention of fostering a positive reading habit in children. Students are required to read for a minimum of 15 minutes per day for 15 weeks as part of the program. With more than 19,500 pupils committing to participate, the reading scores of participating schools have increased by 12 percent, according to 15 and the Mahomies. During a Read for 15 Rally earlier this year, Mahomes personally addressed approximately 2,400 elementary students from sixteen schools regarding the significance of reading beyond the confines of the classroom.

In furtherance of the Mahomies’ objective to promote adolescent volunteerism, 15 and the Mahomies have established the “Volunteer for 15” initiative. Youth who participated in the “Volunteer for 15” program accumulated nearly 23,000 hours of community service between May 1 and August 31 of this year. An 86 percent increase in participation significantly surpassed the program’s objective of 15,000 hours this year.

Additionally, the Foundation has maintained its “15 for 15” initiative. As of this moment, nearly 175 charitable grants have been bestowed by the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation, providing indispensable assistance to some of the most consequential programs in the nation. The support has been extended in the following ways: by donating coaching clinics and football equipment to youth football leagues; by supporting Historically Black Colleges and Universities via the Black College Football Hall of Fame and the HBCU Legacy Bowl; by awarding scholarships to children of wounded and fallen United States Navy SEALs; by constructing the Mahomies Playground at Martin Luther King Jr. Park; and by donating glasses and backpacks for children.

In addition to being the father of two young children, 15 and the Mahomies Foundation have prioritized encouraging local youth to adopt healthier lifestyles. With the assistance of food bank partnerships, 15 and the Mahomies distributed over 15,000 meals in 2022. Additionally, the organization collaborated with OneSight Vision Clinic to furnish over one hundred children residing in the Kansas City area with complimentary eye exams and spectacles. In observance of the 58th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech and at the beginning of the 2021 season, Patrick Mahomes and his foundation re-dedicated Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Kansas City in support of 15 and the Mahomies Foundation’s $1 million contribution. The donation was utilized to construct a playground that served as a tribute to Dr. King while also establishing an environment that was accessible and inclusive for children of all abilities. Mahomes emerged as an outspoken advocate prior to the 2020 general election, collaborating with RISE to Vote to urge coaches and players to enroll and participate actively in the electoral process. In the days leading up to Election Day, he collaborated with the Hunt Family Foundation through an Inspire Change grant to transform GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium into the most expansive polling center in Kansas City Election Board history, accommodating over 2,100 voters.

Mahomes maintains his record-setting pace of on-field success this season, guiding the team to an 8-4 record and atop the AFC West standings. With 301 completions on 444 attempts, he has accumulated 3,127 yards of yardage, 22 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. After 12 games, he ranks within the top five in the league in terms of passing yards (3,127) and touchdowns (22, T-5th), and within the top ten in terms of completion percentage (67.8%, 8th). Five consecutive AFC Championship Games, three Super Bowl appearances with two victories, two NFL MVPs (2018, 2022), and two Super Bowl MVPs (2019, 2022) have been attributed to the seventh-year quarterback. 2022 marked the first time in the twenty-first century that Mahomes won both the league MVP and the Super Bowl MVP awards. In his 92 starts for the Cardinals, Mahomes has compiled a career record of 72-20 (.783). On 3,437 attempts, he has completed 2,286 for 27,368 yards, 214 touchdowns, and 59 interceptions, for a passer rating of 104.3. Mahomes holds the record for most multi-touchdown pass victories in a player’s first seven seasons with 66. Since assuming the starting quarterback position officially in 2018, he has accumulated the most yards (27,084), touchdowns (214), completions of 25 yards or more (230), first down passes (1,341), and redzone TDs (148). He has amassed a +156 TD/INT ratio with 58 interceptions since 2018, the highest mark of any quarterback during that time period. Mahomes has been named to the Pro Bowl five times (2018–2022). He was also designated an AP First-Team All-Pro after his performances in 2018 and 2022.

Every nominee for Walter Payton Man of the Year is qualified to participate in the WPMOY Challenge, an online competition hosted on X (formerly Twitter). This platform allows supporters to express their allegiance to their preferred nominee and provides participants with the chance to acquire an additional charitable contribution. Fans can vote between December 5 and January 8 using the hashtag #WPMOYChallenge and the player’s name or X handle. Fans can now also vote by visiting NFL.com/ManOfTheYear, a feature that is new this year. An extra $35,000 is donated to the charity of the athlete whose hashtag garners the most mentions and online votes. Nationwide contributes $10,000 to the charity of the runner-up and $5,000 to the charity of the third-place finisher. Official rules, hashtag information, and the ability to vote can be found at NFL.com/ManOfTheYear.