NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award: Full list of winners
The award, which was created in 1969 by artist Daniel Bennett Schwartz, honors a player’s excellence inside and outside the pitch. Here’s the full list of winners.
Most of the time, players who lift top trophies or prove decisive in key games or finals, end up being recognized with other titles or prizes, many times in the form of MVP honors.
While winning is seen as the ultimate goal in world sports, an athlete can also be seen or recognized as a champion or a role model not only because of being brilliant while performing but because of positively contributing to society.
Every year, a panel of judges, which includes the Commissioner of the NFL, the previous year’s winner, and former players choose the winner of the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, named after Chicago Bears running back after he died to honor his legacy outside the pitch.
Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott won the award at the annual NFL Honors from Symphony Hall in Phoenix, Arizona, days ahead of Super Bowl LVII.
Prescott, a two-time Pro Bowler, is the fourth Cowboys player to win the award, following Hall of Fame quarterbacks Roger Staubach (1978) and Troy Aikman (1997), and former teammate Jason Witten (2012).
“Thank you to the NFL, to Commissioner [Roger] Goodell, to Nationwide for recognizing the impact that we as NFL players can have off the field,” the quarterback said after receiving the award.
NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award: complete list
- 1969: Bart Starr, Green Bay Packers
- 1970: Johnny Unitas, Baltimore Colts
- 1971: John Hadl, San Diego Chargers
- 1972: Willie Lainer, Kansas City Chiefs
- 1973: Len Dawson, Kansas City Chiefs
- 1974: George Blanda, Oakland Raiders
- 1975: Ken Anderson, Cincinnati Bengals
- 1976: Franco Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers
- 1977: Walter Payton, Chicago Bears
- 1978: Roger Staubach, Dallas Cowboys
- 1979: Joe Greene, Pittsburgh Steelers
- 1980: Harold Carmichael, Philadelphia Eagles
- 1981: Lynn Swann, Pittsburgh Steelers
- 1982: Joe Theismann, Washington Redskins
- 1983: Rolf Benirschke, San Diego Chargers
- 1984: Marty Lyons, New York Jets
- 1985: Dwight Stephenson, Miami Dolphins
- 1986: Reggie Williams, Cincinnati Bengals
- 1987: Dave Duerson, Chicago Bears
- 1988: Steven Largent, Seattle Seahawks
- 1989: Warren Moon, Houston Oilers
- 1990: Mike Singletary, Chicago Bears
- 1991: Anthony Munoz, Cincinnati Bengals
- 1992: John Elway, Denver Broncos
- 1993: Derrick Thomas, Kansas City Chiefs
- 1994: Junior Seau, San Diego Chargers
- 1995: Boomer Esiason, New York Jets
- 1996: Darrell Green, Washington Redskins
- 1997: Troy Aikman, Dallas Cowboys
- 1998: Dan Marino, Miami Dolphins
- 1999: Cris Carter, Minnesota Vikings
- 2000: Derrick Brooks & Jim Flanigan, Tampa Bay Buccaneers / Green Bay Packers
- 2001: Jerome Bettis, Pittsburgh Steelers
- 2002: Troy Vincent, Philadelphia Eagles
- 2003: Will Shields, Kansas City Chiefs
- 2004: Warrick Dunn, Atlanta Falcons
- 2005: Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts
- 2006: LaDainian Tomlinson & Drew Brees, San Diego Chargers / New Orleans Saints
- 2007: Jason Taylor, Miami Dolphins
- 2008: Kurt Warner, Arizona Cardinals
- 2009: Brian Waters, Kansas City Chiefs
- 2010: Madieu Williams, Minnesota Vikings
- 2011: Matt Birk, Baltimore Ravens
- 2012: Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys
- 2013: Charles Tillman, Chicago Bears
- 2014: Thomas Davis, Carolina Panthers
- 2015: Anquan Boldin, San Francisco 49ers
- 2016: Larry Fitzgerald & Eli Manning, Arizona Cardinals / New York Giants
- 2017: J.J. Watt, Houston Texans
- 2018: Chris Long, Philadelphia Eagles
- 2019: Calais Campbell, Jacksonville Jaguars
- 2020: Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
- 2021: Andrew Whitworth, Los Angeles Rams
- 2022: Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys