Days before the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII, the NFL community gathered to celebrate a different kind of champion as Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was announced as the 2022 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year presented by Nationwide. The announcement was made during the NFL Honors television broadcast leading up to Super Bowl LVII.

Named in tribute to the legacy left by the man fondly known as “Sweetness,” this award recognizes an NFL player for outstanding community service activities off the field, as well as excellence on the field.

Prescott is the fourth Cowboys player to receive the award, following Hall of Fame quarterbacks Roger Staubach (1978) and Troy Aikman (1997), and former teammate Jason Witten (2012).

During his acceptance speech, Prescott humbly acknowledged the magnitude of the honor. "I'm grateful every day for the opportunity to continue to chase the legacy of Walter Payton and the former Man of the Year winners," Prescott said. "I draw so much inspiration from each of you, who represent the immense potential that we have as NFL players to make an impact on the community and the world. Our work will never be done, and it will not be easy. But through adversity we find our strength, and I know we will carry on our worthy pursuits not being discouraged by how far we have to go, but rather emboldened by the hope that we can leave this world a better place than we found it.”

In recognition of his outstanding charitable contributions, Prescott will receive a donation of $255,000 to benefit a charity of his choice. Each of the other 31 nominees representing their respective NFL clubs will also receive a donation of up to $55,000 in support of their chosen causes or charities. All donations are courtesy of the NFL Foundation and Nationwide.

Prescott’s community work is anchored by his Faith Fight Finish (FFF) Foundation which focuses on colon cancer research, mental health and suicide prevention, bridging a gap between law enforcement and its communities, and assisting those faced with life-challenging adversity.

“Nationwide is honored to congratulate Dak and support the transformative work he has done to earn this prestigious award,” said Ramon Jones, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Nationwide. “As a company that shares a commitment to giving back and strengthening our communities, Nationwide is proud to celebrate Dak’s exemplary efforts and recognize all of the NFL players who are making a positive impact on and off the field.”  

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 $1.5 million to the foundations represented by the nominees. 

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