Devin McCourty Announced As Patriots' Nominee For Walter Payton Man Of The Year Award
BOSTON (CBS) -- On and off the football field, Patriots safety Devin McCourty is a pretty great guy. Whether it's his leadership in the locker room or his various charitable endeavors away from the game, McCourty is one of they many upstanding citizens on the New England roster.
On Thursday, McCourty was named as the Patriots' nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. Considered one of the league's most prestigious honors, the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award is given is given out annually for outstanding community service activities off the field, as well as excellence on the field.
From the Patriots:
Throughout his career, McCourty has been one of the most active NFL players in the community. He is a member of the Players Coalition Task Force and serves as the Chair of the Players Coalition Education and Economic Advancement Committee. McCourty has advocated for several bills that successfully passed legislation in Massachusetts including "An Act Relative to Criminal Justice Reform" and the Student Opportunity Act.
He is an instrumental leader in the Patriots Players Social Justice Fund and the Kraft Family/Patriots Player Collaborative Fund, helping allocate significant funds to local grassroots organizations fighting for equity, working to end systemic racism and creating meaningful change in the community. McCourty has participated in roundtable discussions with other NFL players about racism and advocated for nonprofits redirecting gang-involved youth from incarceration to educational and employment opportunities.
McCourty is also working to bridge the economic divide in education. In March, as the COVID-19 stay at home orders began, he and his twin brother Jason purchased $90,000 worth of Chromebooks for students who did not have access to computers at home. They followed up with a $50,000 donation in early October to support technology needs for underserved high school students.
Devin and his brother, Jason, have also raised over $2 million to support research and help families affected by sickle cell disease, part of their McCourty Twins Tackle Sickle Cell campaign.
"It is a great honor to be nominated for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award," said McCourty. "I recognize the opportunity that I have to use my platform to help make an impact in the community. I appreciate being nominated for this award because of the man that Walter Payton was and the legacy that he has left behind. Walter Payton embodied the spirit of community engagement. I am humbled to represent his legacy with this nomination, but it is even more important to continue the work and try to make a difference."
"We are happy to nominate Devin McCourty for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award," said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft. "We are proud of Devin's accomplishments on the field as a New England Patriot, but even more so of his character and his contributions in the community. He has been a team leader since he first joined our team in 2010 and his hard work has helped us win three Super Bowl titles and 10 division titles. But his impact in New England extends beyond the football field, volunteering countless hours to help our community. He is consistently one of the most active players in the community and is always eager to volunteer."
This year's winner will be announced at the NFL Honors, which will air in primetime on CBS during the week of Super Bowl LV. As a nominee, McCourty will now wear a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal for the rest of the season.
