Story byEd ValentineThu, December 4, 2025 at 5:55 PM UTC·3 min readBobby Okereke is the New York Giants’ nominee for the 2025 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. The award recognizes players who excel on the field and demonstrate a commitment to creating a positive impact beyond the game.“The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award is our league’s most revered honor, celebrating players for their excellence both on and off the field,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “These 32 men represent the best of the NFL, and the incredible contributions they make to their teams and communities every day continue to keep Walter’s legacy alive.”The winner will announced during the prime-time ‘NFL Honors’ special on Feb 5. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementEli Manning is the only Giants player ever to receive the award, which was first given to Johnny Unitas in 1970.“It meant a lot,” Okereke said. “[My family was] pretty emotional just thinking about when I started playing football in high school, back to my Boy Scout days and choir and everything.
