CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers’ Quarterback Cam Newton has been nominated for the 2019 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award.
The award is presented by Nationwide to recognize community service as well as excellence on the field by NFL players.
Newton who was put on injured reserve in early November after playing just two games has not halted in his commitment to the community.
The former NFL MVP established his own foundation in 2012 which identifies three pillars of focus: EVERY 1 PLAYS (youth activity, mentoring high school players), EVERY 1 GIVES (donations and community outreach) and EVERY 1 LEARNS (diversity and societal education).
Those three pillars together make up the the foundation’s guiding principle and Newton’s personal belief of EVERY 1 MATTERS.
Since the foundation’s development it has provided $5.13 million in grant funding, year-round programming resources and donations to schools and non-profit agencies in not only Charlotte but Atlanta as well.
Over 12,500 student-athletes and coaches have participated in Newton’s EVERY 1 PLAYS initiative and over 11,850 need-based youth have been provided meals and gifts through Newton’s signature annual programs: “Cam’s Thanksgiving Jam” and “Santa Cam’s Surprise Sleigh,” a Panthers news release stated.
In addition to the foundation, Newton has also taken his passion and love for the game as a way to mentor youth through a football tournament.
Newton holds an annual 7-on-7 tournament which features four events for 85 high school football teams and over 2,000 student-athletes in 2019 alone.
Newton’s 7-on-7 All-Star team also affords the opportunity to counsel and prepare elite high school players for the next step in their football development.
Since 2011, 450 student-athletes have participated in the program including 20 future Collegiate Academic All-Americans, 10 current and former NFL players and 75 student-athletes currently playing collegiate football, the release said.
Some of the notable players who have benefited from Newton’s mentorship include Deshaun Watson, a quarterback for the Houston Texans, Michael Gallup, a wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys, Justin Fields, a quarterback for Ohio State, and Jadon Haselwood, a wide receiver for Oklahoma University.
Newton, who was selected first overall in the 2011 NFL draft after earning the Heisman Trophy and leading Auburn to the 2010 Bowl Championship Series (BCS) National Championship, is not new to notable accolades throughout his NFL career.
Newton was the consensus choice as the NFL MVP in 2015, becoming the first player in NFL history with at least 30 touchdown passes and 10 rushing touchdowns in a single season.
Throughout Newton’s career he has had 58 rushing touchdowns, which is the most by a quarterback since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger and he ranks third all-time in NFL history for rushing yards by a quarterback, trailing only Michael Vick and Randall Cunningham, according to panthers.com.
Newton also has had 240 total touchdowns which include 182 passing and 58 rushing in his first eight seasons, per the Panthers.
He remains third in NFL history for touchdowns, trailing only Peyton Manning and Dan Marino.
A Pro Bowl selection in 2011, 2013 and 2015, Newton is the only player in NFL history to produce at least six seasons with 3,000 or more passing yards and 500 or more rushing yards at any point in a career.
The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award has been awarded previously to notable players such as Eli manning, Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Chris Long and more since its existence in 1970.
Some of this year’s nominees aside of Newton for the award are David Johnson of the Arizona Cardinals, Ricardo Allen of the Atlanta Falcons, Brandon Carr of the Baltimore Ravens, Lorenzo Alexander of the Buffalo Bills, Kyle Rudolph of Minnesota Vikings and Richard Sherman of the San Francisco 49ers.
The winner of the award each year receives $250,000 donated to the charity of his choice. The 31 other nominees will receive a $50,000 donation in their name donated to their charity of choice, according to the NFL site.
The award winner will be announced on February 1st at the NFL Honors.
