Originally drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft, Boldin’s stellar first season earned him NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and a 2004 Pro Bowl selection. His distinguished 14-year career also included time with the Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions, but winning the 2015 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide is an equally important part of his legacy. To this day, Boldin continues his philanthropic work through the Anquan Boldin Foundation which expands educational and life opportunities of underprivileged children.

When Nationwide connected Boldin with Hubbard and Moore, one common thread throughout both conversations was community. Even at the college level, both players recognized that being a role model and giving back didn’t have to wait until they reached the NFL. For Hubbard, that meant establishing a nonprofit organization that gives kids and families resources to lift themselves out of challenging environments. For Moore, it was about volunteering at Special Olympics camps or Boys & Girls Clubs and making first-hand connections with kids in his home state of Indiana.

Check out the full conversations below for more from the veteran Boldin and the incoming rookies.

“We are excited to embark on this partnership with Nationwide, a powerful brand with a long history in engaging sports fans,” said NWSL Commissioner Lisa Baird. “The NWSL and Nationwide are committed to the growth of this sport, investing in our athletes and creating a platform where we can make a difference in NWSL communities together.”

As part of the multiyear partnership, Nationwide plans to work with NWSL athletes and all league cities. Within those markets are thousands of Nationwide insurance and financial professionals, and millions of Nationwide customers, who will help in driving interest in the sport and service in the community. Initiatives will include an annual service and grant project highlighting local community programs in all NWSL markets. Additionally, Nationwide and the NWSL will launch an inaugural community impact award to be presented at an annual postseason awards ceremony where a NWSL team will be recognized for its exemplary service in the community.

“Nationwide is proud to partner with this dynamic and diverse league that is growing in so many ways,” said Ramon Jones, Nationwide’s chief marketing officer. “By working with player ambassadors from each team and launching the community impact award, we’re eager to use Nationwide’s resources to showcase how the top women’s soccer players in the world excel on and off the pitch.”

The NWSL opens its 2021 season with the NWSL Challenge Cup, presented by Secret Deodorant, on April 9 with a rematch of the 2020 NWSL Challenge Cup final between Chicago and Houston. The game will air live on CBS Sports Network, followed by Kansas City’s inaugural match since joining the NWSL in December 2020 against Portland Thorns FC at 10:30 p.m. EST on Paramount+, the premium streaming service from ViacomCBS.

In recognition of April’s designation as Financial Literacy Month, Nationwide and HHF will host three live Charlas that deliver actionable insights on the following topics:

• Wednesday, March 31 – Get Smart on Student Debt
• Wednesday, April 14 – Kickstart Your Retirement
• Wednesday, April 28 – Take Control of Your Money

To register for the free virtual Charlas or to access last year’s content, visit foryourfinancialwellness.com.

“Our best partnerships begin with companies that share our values and vision, this is why we are thrilled about our continued relationship with Nationwide,” said Antonio Tijerino, President and CEO of HHF. “Nationwide’s leadership during an historic economic challenge has provided guidance, support and hope to our community through financial empowerment.”

To complement the live Charlas, Nationwide and HHF will present a four-part video-podcast series hosted by a panel of accomplished Hispanic personal finance experts. In the first episode, which premieres on Wednesday, May 5, certified financial planner Paul Roldan, financial freedom strategist Vivi Schenk, and fiduciary financial advisor Karen Vergara discuss the cultural nuances that influence financial behavior.

“Presenting the Charlas program, in partnership with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, is unique in that it delivers culturally-influenced financial education from experts whose own journeys were shaped by their Hispanic heritage,” said Lu Yarbrough III, Nationwide’s Associate Vice President of Enterprise Diverse and Cause Marketing. “Nationwide continually looks for ways to support diverse communities and we look forward to sharing new Charlas content to educate and empower even more people to take control of their financial wellness.”

For additional personal finance resources, money-saving tips, planning calculators and more, visit foryourfinancialwellness.com.

About Hispanic Heritage Foundation
The Hispanic Heritage Foundation is a national nonprofit focused on education, workforce, innovative leadership, and culture to meet America’s priorities. Visit www.hispanicheritage.org Follow HHF on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.

To celebrate Black History Month and the many Black entrepreneurs and difference makers across the country, Nationwide asked Kimberly A. Blackwell, CEO of PMM Agency, and former NFL wide receiver Torrey Smith to share how their success put them in position to create opportunity for others.

Kimberly A. Blackwell, CEO, PMM Agency
Kimberly calls herself a chief visionary officer. At PMM, she’s at the helm of an award-winning agency that helps manage the communications and branding for a wide range of clients — from Fortune 100 companies to government agencies – but her vision extends beyond the agency she founded 21 years ago from her 600 square foot apartment. Blackwell’s belief that, “to whom much is given, much is required” guides her commitment to drive change for diverse communities.

This business owner, investor and philanthropist is intentional about investing in Black businesses. “Companies have taken a bet on me and it’s important that we continue to take those same bets on other companies,” said Blackwell.

Beyond leading her company, which counts Nationwide as a client, Blackwell is a member of the Executive Leadership Council, the Women Presidents’ Organization, the National Black MBA Association and serves as a board member for several local community organizations.

In the full conversation below, Kimberly talks about her career path, those who have inspired her, and her efforts to lessen the gap for people, especially women, who are looking to build their financial future through business ownership.

Torrey Smith, former NFL wide receiver
Former NFL wide receiver Torrey Smith, who was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens following a standout collegiate career at Maryland, achieved the pinnacle of his profession by becoming a two-time Super Bowl champion with Baltimore and Philadelphia. Before making the pros, Smith made a promise to himself to make a difference.

“If I was ever in a position to help others, that’s what I would do,” Smith said.

During his eight NFL seasons, Smith used his high-profile position as a platform to affect positive change and champion social justice causes. His efforts made him a three-time nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide. The award recognizes players who demonstrate excellence not only on the field, but also in their community, and is considered the League’s most prestigious honor.

Since retiring as a player in 2019, Smith has been dedicated to community collaboration and activism through the work of his LEVEL82 (Leadership. Education. Vision. Effort. Love.) non-profit in his adopted hometown of Baltimore. Torrey shares more about his journey, his passion projects, his thoughts on social justice in today’s climate and much more in the full conversation below.

Nationwide celebrates Black History Month
Throughout February, Nationwide also celebrated and honored Black History Month with its employees by partnering with its Black Associate Resource Groups to celebrate the past, present and future of African American culture with educational programs and resources. The Black History Month programs and education are designed to further empower employees to make a difference in our communities. The programs and educational sessions focused on Black Wall Street, building wealth through generations, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and collectively activating change and promoting progress.

The Fortune 100 company also launched a social media campaign demonstrating extraordinary care to diverse communities and highlighting the impact Black leaders, businesses and partner organizations are making throughout the country. Posts on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter spotlighted our partnerships with Black Enterprise, The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, National Black MBA Association, National Urban League, National Fair Housing Alliance and more.

Nationwide’s efforts to combat social injustice extend beyond the month of February. Last summer in the wake of social justice protests across the country, the organization reasserted it commitment to social justice with multi-million dollar and multi-year commitments, in support of local and national programs dedicated to social justice. Ongoing support for Black Enterprise, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), the National Black MBA Association, National Urban League, and the Executive Leadership Council’s Scholarship Fund, among many others, also reinforces the company’s commitment to influence positive change and create opportunity.

Nationwide also supports the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) through its Keys Unlock Dreams initiative, which is focused on reducing disparities in housing and household wealth by making homeownership more feasible for Black and Hispanic families.

Internally, Nationwide’s creation of its associate-led Social Justice Task Force has enabled Nationwide employees to provide actionable recommendations for how the company can continue to promote social justice in education, employment and economic mobility, housing and criminal justice.

To further these efforts, Nationwide hosted a new, six-week giving campaign in which employee contributions to nonprofit partners National Fair Housing Alliance, National Urban League, Equal Justice Initiative or the NAACP Legal Defense Fund received a matching donation from the Nationwide Foundation. The campaign gave associates the chance to take positive action and support organizations well-positioned to address social justice in our country. 

Related news:

• Working for a better tomorrow (November 17, 2020)
• Nationwide Financial and industry partners join forces with Historically Black Colleges and Universities to promote equity and inclusion (September 17, 2020)
• Promoting workplace diversity by being an ally (August 25, 2020)
• Unlocking solutions to the homeownership gap (July 22, 2020)
• Planting seeds for healthier neighborhoods (July 17, 2020)
• Nationwide adding investments to fight racism (June 12, 2020)
• Working to End Racism (June 12, 2020)

It’s for this reason that Nationwide proudly presents the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, a recognition considered the League’s most prestigious honor. Named after the late Chicago Bears Hall of Fame running back, the award recognizes players who demonstrate excellence not only on the field, but also in their community.

This year’s winner – announced during the NFL Honors broadcast the night before Super Bowl LV – is Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson. As the 2020 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, Wilson will receive a donation of $250,000 to benefit a charity of his choice, courtesy of Nationwide and the NFL Foundation.

During his nine-year career in the NFL, Wilson’s participation in efforts to support his community and help those in need have made a tremendous impact. Whether it’s work through his Why Not You Foundation (WNYF), which is dedicated to education, children’s health and fighting poverty, or his support of the Seattle Children’s Hospital, Russell has served others in a genuine way and set a positive example for NFL fans and athletes across the league.

In response to adversities created by COVID-19, this past year Russell—along with his wife Ciara—also focused energy toward social justice issues, voter registration campaigns and food security, making a personal donation of 1 million meals to Feeding America.

“It has been inspiring and humbling to see the impact these award nominees and winners have had on their communities, and Russell’s efforts certainly deserve the recognition he was awarded this weekend,” says Nationwide Chief Marketing Officer Ramon Jones. “Nationwide is proud to provide a national platform for Russell and other NFL players to help shine a national spotlight on the work they’re doing to make a difference and to encourage others to do the same.”

Wilson reinforced his passion for service as he was named the winner.

“In life, we're granted the opportunity to have an impact, no matter what sphere of influence we're around,” he said. “Walter Payton was one of the greatest examples of what he was able to do not just on the field, but more important off the field to give back and to serve and to love and to care. For me, to be able to be even mentioned with a name like Walter Payton is one of the greatest blessings I could ever have and one of the greatest honors you could ever have.”

Before Wilson was announced as this year’s winner, 2013 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year winner Charles Tillman talked to a few of the 2020 nominees about their passion projects and how they feel about being considered for the NFL’s highest honor. Dallas Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith shares how he is using his platform to inspire future entrepreneurs while San Francisco 49ers defensive end Arik Armstead talks about what he is doing to provide more educational opportunities to students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Since becoming the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year presenting sponsor in 2014, Nationwide’s dedication to this platform has elevated one of the NFL’s most prestigious awards to a new level. As part of our commitment, we have also donated more than $1.3 million to the foundations represented by the nominees.

To learn more about the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, visit www.nfl.com/manoftheyear.

The Do Good Foundation, co-founded by Rochell in 2020, believes in creating a better world, specifically by helping young people manage their mental health and create rich, fulfilling lives. The organization carries out this mission by providing support in the form of educational resources, financial support, mental support or simply positive influence.

“I’m so honored to be the Chargers’ Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee. The Bolt Fam came out in numbers with their tweets and retweets and I couldn’t be more appreciative of them,” said Isaac Rochelle. “Along with Local Human, I look forward to making a difference in our community with the generous donation from Nationwide.”

Nationwide is the presenting sponsor of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award which is given to the player who demonstrates excellence on the field and in his community. Nationwide launched this year’s Charity Challenge last December to further elevate and promote the work that each of the 32 nominees are doing to improve the lives of others.

Fans were invited to vote for their favorite nominee by using that player’s unique hashtag on Twitter. The player who received the most votes by Jan. 17, 2021 received the $25,000 contribution. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce finished first with more than one million uses of his hashtag. The $25,000 award will benefit Kelce’s Eighty-Seven & Running Foundation. Rochell’s fans used his hashtag nearly 600,000 times to earn $10,000 for The Do Good Foundation. Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons finished third with nearly 300,000 hashtag uses earning him a $5,000 contribution for the charity of his choice.

A new component of this year’s Charity Challenge was a four-week Twitter contest where fans who replied to Nationwide with their favorite nominee had a chance to win a prize for themselves and $2,500 for their favorite nominee’s charity. Isaac Rochell’s fans won three of the four weeks while a fan of New Orleans Saints linebacker Demario Davis was the other winner, earning Davis $2,500 for a charity of his choice.

During the #WPMOYChallenge promotion, fans used the 32 different team nominees’ hashtags more than 2.1 million times.

The 2020 NFL season marks the seventh year of Nationwide’s sponsorship of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. Since 2014, Nationwide has contributed more than $1.3 million to the charitable foundations represented by the various nominees.

The winner of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide will be announced during the NFL Honors broadcast on Saturday, February 6, the eve of Super Bowl LV, at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.

For more information on the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide, please visit www.nfl.com/manoftheyear.

Established by Kelce in 2015, Eighty-Seven and Running is a charitable foundation that empowers disadvantaged youth to achieve success by providing resources and support to their communities and broadening their exposure to areas like STEM, entrepreneurship, and the arts.

"This win is 100% a testament to Chiefs Kingdom. To reach over one million votes is the kind of passion and support that makes me want to run through a wall on game day,” said Kelce. “It’s an honor to play for them and support the city off the field in any way I can. It’s one of the greatest achievements of my career to be included among this deserving group of my NFL brothers who all use their platform to pay it forward."

Nationwide is the presenting sponsor of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award which is given to the player who demonstrates excellence on the field and in his community. Nationwide launched this year’s Charity Challenge on Dec. 14, 2020 to further elevate and promote the work that each of the 32 nominees are doing to improve the lives of others. The month-long social media promotion gave NFL fans the opportunity to show support for their favorite nominee and offer players a chance to secure a $25,000 contribution from Nationwide to their charity of choice.

Fans were invited to vote for their favorite nominee by using that player’s unique hashtag on Twitter. The player who received the most votes by Jan. 17, 2021 received the $25,000 contribution.

Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Isaac Rochell finished second with nearly 600,000 uses of his hashtag while Denver Broncos safety Justin Simmons finished third with nearly 300,000 hashtag uses. Nationwide will contribute $10,000 and $5,000, respectively, to the charities of Rochell and Simmons.

A new component of this year’s Charity Challenge was a weekly Twitter contest where fans who replied to Nationwide with their favorite nominee had a chance to win a $100 NFL Shop gift card for themselves and $2,500 for their favorite nominee’s charity. Isaac Rochell’s fans won three of the four weekly contests earning the Charger an additional $7,500 for his cause.

During the #WPMOYChallenge promotion, fans used the 32 different team nominees’ hashtags more than 2.1 million times.

“Each year, the Nationwide Charity Challenge uses friendly competition to draw extra attention to the inspiring work these players do in their communities,” said Ramon Jones, Nationwide’s Chief Marketing Officer. “This year’s addition of the weekly #ItTakesAllofUs contest gave fans added incentive to support their favorite nominees, and help those players earn more money for their charities. Congratulations to Travis Kelce for winning this year’s Charity Challenge, as well as Isaac Rochell and Demario Davis for their weekly wins. And a big thank you to all of the nominees and fans who participated.”

The 2020 NFL season marks the seventh year of Nationwide’s sponsorship of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. Since 2014, Nationwide has contributed more than $1.3 million to the charitable foundations represented by the various nominees.

The winner of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide will be announced during the NFL Honors broadcast on Saturday, February 6, the eve of Super Bowl LV, at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.

For more information on the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide, please visit www.nfl.com/manoftheyear.