Okay, so I saw this thing about Eli Manning winning the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, and I got curious. I mean, I know who Eli Manning is – two-time Super Bowl MVP, played for the Giants, the whole deal. But I didn’t really know much about this award.
First, I checked out what the Walter Payton Award actually is. Turns out, it’s a pretty big deal. It’s not just about being good at football; it’s about being a good person off the field, too. They give it to a player who’s doing awesome charity work and also killing it in the game.
Digging Deeper
I started looking into what Eli did to earn this. I knew he must have done something impressive. I found out he’s been super involved with a bunch of different charities.
- Tackle Kids Cancer: This one really stood out. He’s been working with Hackensack University Medical Center’s children’s cancer institute for years. I saw he’s done everything from visiting kids to raising a ton of money for research and programs.
- The March of Dimes: He’s a big supporter of the March of Dimes, which helps moms and babies. It makes sense, He’s a father himself.
- Other Stuff Too: Plus, there’s other stuff! Helping out after Hurricane Katrina, working with Guiding Eyes for the Blind. The guy is busy!
I read some articles about how he won the award back in 2016, sharing it with Larry Fitzgerald, which is cool. They both seem like genuinely good dudes. It described his commitment to giving back, how much time he spends with these charities, and how personal it is for * seems he just quietly goes about doing good, which is even more admirable, I think.
My Takeaway
Honestly, it’s inspiring. It’s easy to get caught up in the game itself, but this reminds you that these players are people, and they can use their platform to do some real good. I realized Eli Manning is not just a great quarterback, but also a truly great man.
After reading all of this, I have an understanding and appreciation for the Walter Payton Award, and for Eli Manning’s commitment to others. I decided I’ll be checking in on the charities Eli supports from now on.
