JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Jaguars announced today DE Arik Armstead as its nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, presented by Nationwide. The award is the league's most prestigious honor, recognizing NFL players who have exhibited excellence on the field and whose passion to impact lives extends beyond the game.
Throughout his 10-year career, Armstead has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to serving the local community. In 2019, he established the Armstead Academic Project (AAP), an initiative that ensures every student, regardless of their socioeconomic status, has direct access to the resources they need to thrive, unlock their potential and achieve their goals.
Through AAP, he has committed himself to education, including a focus on improving literacy rates through his reading initiative, "Storytime with Arik Armstead" in his hometown of Sacramento, Calif.; San Francisco; and now Jacksonville. This fall, Armstead and his wife, Mindy, donated $50,000 to the Department of Sound to create the first "Sound Mind" production workshop series for over 60 young people to explore STEAM education and social emotional wellness through AAP.
Since joining the Jaguars in 2024, he has been active in the Jacksonville community, expanding his reach by participating in the EverBank Touchdowns for Tomorrow program which highlights the importance of financial literacy, demonstrated on the field through football drills. Armstead joined EverBank staff and hundreds of kids from Duval County Public Schools to emphasize the importance of financial education at a young age and to ensure they are setting themselves up for success in the future. Later this month, he will be working with Blessing in a Backpack, a nonprofit that provides food on weekends and holidays for school-aged children who might otherwise go hungry.
In addition to being a five-time Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee, Armstead has been the recipient of the Perry/Yonamine Unity Award, CBS Bay Area Jefferson Award, the Yours Humanly 2023 Leading with Heart Award and the Boost Collaborative Conference's Excellence in Leadership Award. Over his career, Armstead has directly impacted over 516,500 youth and contributed more than $2 million.
Armstead said, "I am honored to be nominated for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in my first year with the Jacksonville Jaguars. This recognition reflects the incredible support from my family, teammates, and the Jaguars organization as we work together to make a positive impact both on and off the field. Giving back to the community has always been a cornerstone of who I am, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to continue that mission here in Jacksonville."
"Since Arik's arrival in Jacksonville this year, he has made a positive impression on the field and in the locker room, especially with our younger players. But it is with his philanthropic mindset where he truly shines," added Jaguars' head coach Doug Pederson. "Arik is guided by the principles of servant leadership, and Jacksonville and the Jaguars are fortunate to have him here and making a difference in this community. Arik is truly worthy of this honor, and we are proud to support his nomination as our 2024 Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee."
On the field, Armstead has appeared in more than 125 games and as a starter in more than 95 of them. He has amassed 34.5 sacks and 185 tackles during his career.
Armstead will wear a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal through the end of the season in recognition of his accomplishments on and off the field beginning Week 14.
All 32 nominees will be recognized for their achievements during the week leading up to Super Bowl LIX. The 2024 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year winner will be announced during NFL Honors, a primetime awards special to air nationally on FOX and the NFL Network on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025.
Each nominee will receive up to a $55,000 donation, and the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award winner will receive a $265,000 donation to the charity of his choice. All donations are made possible by the NFL Foundation and Nationwide.
This year, fans are once again encouraged to participate in Nationwide's annual Charity Challenge, a social media and online contest that allows fans to show support for their favorite Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee. Fans can vote on X by posting #WPMOYChallenge along with the name/X handle of their chosen nominee or by voting directly on NFL.com/ManOfTheYear. The nominee who receives the most collective hashtag mentions and online votes will win an additional $35,000 donation from Nationwide to the charity of their choice, with the runner-up receiving $10,000 and the third-place winner receiving $5,000. Charity Challenge voting takes place from Dec. 5, 2024-Jan. 6, 2025.
