WPMOY: The Case for Travis Kelce – After two consecutive seasons of selecting punter Dustin Colquitt as their Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee, the Kansas City Chiefs had a dilemma on their hands. Colquitt was no longer a Chief (although the Chiefs have since re-signed the aging punter to the practice squad after he was cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this season), and they still needed a new guy.
It’s a tall order to fill, when you consider the company the nominees are in. Since establishment of the award in 1970, the Chiefs share the lead in the most NFL Man of the Year Winners, with the Chicago Bears at five apiece. Chiefs who’ve won what the National Football League considers its most prestigious honor:
- 1972 – Linebacker Willie Lanier
- 1973 – Quarterback Len Dawson
- 1993 – Linebacker Derrick Thomas
- 2003 – Offensive Guard Will Shields
- 2009 – Offensive Guard Brian Waters
The Chiefs chose tight end Travis Kelce as their nominee for the 2020 season. With plenty good reason, too. More on that later, let’s first explain what the Walter Payton Man of the Year is all about.
The award recognizes a current NFL Player for outstanding service activities off the field, as well as excellence on the field. That community involvement and excellence during the global pandemic and the other chaos proved even more crucial this year.
NFL Commissioner does a much better job breaking down its significance after the year we’ve had,
“This year has presented significant challenges for us all, from the ongoing global pandemic to the continued social injustices witnessed this year. The 32 Walter Payton Man of the Year nominees remind us that even in the face of adversity, players continue to raise awareness and use their voice and platform to positively impact their communities. The nominees will leave lasting legacies across the country in a time when we need leadership and strength the most.”
In 1999, the NFL renamed the award after late Hall of Fame Chicago Bears running back, Walter Payton. Payton received the NFL Man of the Year Award in 1977.
All 32 NFL teams select a nominee each year. The panel of judges, including the NFL Commissioner, the previous year’s winner, and a multitude of former players choose the award winner. The winner receives a $250,000 donation in his name to the charity of his choice. All other 31 finalists also receive donations in their name, to the charities of their choice in the amount of $50,000 each.
Previous WPMOY winners active in the league wear a patch depicting their trophy on their uniforms for the rest of their NFL careers. Past winners still playing in the NFL are Drew Brees, Jason Witten, Thomas Davis, Larry Fitzgerald, J.J. Watt, and Calais Campbell. Since week 14, this year’s nominees have worn a helmet decal, depicting the trophy. They’re able to wear the decal only for the rest of the season. Only Kelce and Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans are still wearing the decal. This is Evans’ second consecutive year being the Buccaneers nominee.
After just two years in the NFL, Kelce founded his “Eighty-Seven and Running Foundation.” Their purpose is to “help underserved youth strive to become productive citizens by mentoring and motivating them to explore and develop their abilities while learning critical life skills.”
Eighty-Seven and Running accomplishes its goals largely through fundraising, athletic programs, mentoring, and outreach initiatives. Kelce and his foundation often partner with his favorite local charitable organization –> Operation Breakthrough: an organization dedicated to empowering children and their families living in poverty through advocacy, emergency aid, and education.
Kelce has state:
“To be honest, I fell in love with Operation Breakthrough. My foundation 87 and Running has helped out Operation Breakthrough in terms of expanding in their original school, and on top of that, getting the building across the street and buying that building. Making sure the kids don’t just have somewhere to go kindergarten through eighth grade… but once they get to high school, they have somewhere they can go to collaboratively connect and design. That’s something that I really wanted to do for the community, and specifically Operation Breakthrough — knowing how awesome they are over there. It’s such a genuine and loving place. When I first walked into Operation Breakthrough, I knew I wanted to help out and be a part of it.”
Kelce’s contributions and community service go beyond Operation Breakthrough and his Eighty-Seven and Running foundation. When teammate Tyreek Hill partnered with Harvester and pledged to donate 6,000 meals to local families struggling to find food at the outbreak of the pandemic and challenged his teammates to do the same, Kelce matched — then doubled — the Cheetah’s donation.
Kelce recently responded to Tyree Hill on Twitter: “I got your 6k and will raise you another 6k meals.” In 2017, Kelce partnered with United Healthcare to donate $20,000 to the Oak Grove School District to help refinish a gymnasium floor.
After Kelce signed a four-year, $57 million extension with the Chiefs earlier this year, the first thing that Kelce did was use money from the deal to work with Operation Breakthrough to purchase a building in Kansas City that will allow teenagers to “explore careers in STEM.”
[Editor’s Note: STEM means: Science, Teachnology, Engineering & Mathematics. During my years as a Computer Lab Instructor, I taught a STEM class. STEM is an incredible program! -Laddie Morse]
These examples are just the tip of the iceberg, considering all that the Chiefs tight end does in the community. Besides all he does in the Kansas City area, Kelce is just as devoted to his native Cleveland Heights, OH in his public-spiritedness and generosity.
Chiefs Coach Andy Reid gushes like a proud dad when talking about his star tight ends WPMOY nomination,
“I think it’s phenomenal. I’ve had a chance to be here and watch him grow, as some of you have, and just seeing where he’s at now, the whole center that he’s working on right now is a beautiful thing for our community, for kids. I’m proud as heck of him. He does such good work in the community, like he does on the field. He’s got a good heart, a big heart.”
Kelce seems well aware of both the significance and importance of the award,
“Individual accolades are a bit overrated in this game, but this is the one that you can have a lot of honor and a lot of pride for. There are so many guys on this team that are worthy of it: Patrick [Mahomes], Tyrann [Mathieu], and the list goes on. Everybody’s getting into the community and helping it be better. It’s such an honor to represent everybody in Kansas City in this way and in this light. It makes me want to do more, and keep on this same path.”
Will know the winner of the WPMOY this Saturday night during the NFL Honors Ceremony. Other awards presentations include Most Valuable Player, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, and a host of others.
Since relocation to Kansas City in 1963, the Chiefs and their players have always committed to the local community through their philanthropic and public service efforts. Travis Kelce is carrying on that tradition, admirably, it would seem. The Walter Payton Man of the Year Trophy would look rather nice in the home of a soon-to-be two-time Super Bowl champion. Don’t you think?
Michael Travis Rose — ArrowheadOne
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