Arrowhead Pride
The Kansas City Chiefs have announced their Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee: tight end Travis Kelce.
The four-time All-Pro — now 36 years old — is now in the running for the NFL’s most prestigious honor, recognizing players who excel on the field and demonstrate a steadfast commitment to their communities outside of the game. Each team nominates one of its players every season.
“Travis Kelce has been an influential part of the Kansas City community since his arrival 13 years ago,” Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt told Chiefs.com. “He is a leader in every sense of the word. Over the course of his career, Travis has rewritten the franchise record book and earned an unprecedented ten consecutive Pro Bowl selections. During that time, he has united our community and inspired our fans while making a tangible difference in the lives of others. His 87 & Running Foundation and his work with Operation Breakthrough and the Ignition Lab have helped to shape a brighter future for the next generation throughout Chiefs Kingdom. The entire Chiefs organization and the greater Kansas City community are proud to once again have Travis as the club’s selection for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.”
Kelce was Kansas City’s nominee in 2020 and 2024. He called his third nomination “a great honor.”
“Coming from Cleveland Heights and having a strong support system has taught me the importance of having the right people around, that show up for you and want to see you succeed,” he told Chiefs.com. Being able to give back to Kansas City and to my hometown, places that have done so much for me, has been a dream come true, and I’ll never take that for granted. Representing the team, the Hunt family, our fans, and my foundation is incredibly special and I’m very grateful.”
Each year, the national winner receives up to a $250,000 donation to the charity of their choice, while all 32 club winners receive up to a $40,000 donation to their charity of choice. All donations are courtesy of the NFL Foundation and Nationwide Foundation.
Here is the full list of nominees:
Originally called “The Gladiator Award” when it was established 1969, five Chiefs have been honored with the league-wide award: Willie Lanier (1972), Len Dawson (1973), Derrick Thomas (1993), Will Shields (2003) and Brian Waters (2009). No team has won the honor more often.
There is also a social media tie-in to the award: the Walter Payton Man of the Year Charity Challenge.
Fans can vote on X by using #WPMOYChallenge followed by their favorite nominee’s last name, or by voting directly on NFL.com/ManOfTheYear. The player with the most votes from now through January 5 will receive an additional $35,000 contribution to their charity of choice, while the second and third place finishers will receive $10,000 and $5,000 donations, all courtesy of Nationwide.
Kelce [won the Charity Challenge in both 2020 and...
