Ohio State is well-represented among the nominees for the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.
Of the 32 players – one from each NFL team – who were named nominees for the award on Tuesday, five of them are from Ohio State: Sam Hubbard (Bengals), Denzel Ward (Browns), Cameron Heyward (Steelers), Corey Linsley (Chargers) and Jerome Baker (Dolphins).
The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by @Nationwide honors players who have exhibited excellence on-the-field, and whose passion to impact lives extends beyond the game. #ItTakesAllOfUs to make a difference. See the nominees here: https://t.co/R9P2JLXGBm #WPMOY pic.twitter.com/aMOBKbY0Tg
— NFL (@NFL) December 7, 2021
Ohio State has the most Man of the Year finalists for any college. Alabama has the second-most with four.
The Man of the Year Award is considered to be the NFL’s most prestigious off-field award, as it recognizes players who have not only exhibited excellence on the field but also made differences in their communities. Information about all 32 nominees and what they’ve done both on and off the field to be nominated for the award can be found on the NFL’s official website.
Ohio State's lone previous winner of the award was Cris Carter in 1999, but with more than 15 percent of the nominees this year, it’s certainly possible another Buckeye could be the 2021 NFL Man of the Year.
