Adam Thielen named Vikings' 2022 Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee
EAGAN, Minn. -- Minnesota Vikings veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen is the team's nominee for the 2022 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.
The team announced the nomination Tuesday morning. The award recognizes NFL players who exhibit "excellence on the field" and also off the field by giving back to the community.
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"Adam and Caitlin's commitment and willingness to give back and serve Minnesotans through the Thielen Foundation is truly inspiring," said Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf. "We are proud of Adam for the impact he has made on the community and he is the best representation of what the Minnesota Vikings should stand for. We cannot thank him enough for his commitment to the organization, to the Twin Cities and to the entire state of Minnesota. He's extremely deserving to be our 2022 nominee for this impressive honor."
The Thielen Foundation was founded in 2018 to create programs that serve, educate and inspire youth in need "so they are equipped and empowered to reach their full potential in life," the team said. So far, the foundation has donated millions of dollars to the community, and most recently pledged a $1 million donation to be shared between eight Minnesota nonprofits.
"It's such an honor especially when you're voted on by your peers and teammates," Adam Thielen said. "It's just so cool to have them vote me for this award and not only me but also my wife, our foundation and what we're trying to do. The greatest thing about it is the guys who are voting for it, are also the guys who are helping me out at a lot of these events to raise money to help this community as much as we possibly can. It makes it that much more special when your teammates are nominating you for the award and I am so thankful to be named the Vikings 2022 Walter Payton Man of the Year."
For the work he's done to give the youth in his state an opportunity to achieve their dreams, @athielen19 is the 2022 Minnesota Vikings Man of the Year and nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 6, 2022
📰: https://t.co/VNBjzmWRYp pic.twitter.com/BVoTVzvjtQ
Adam Thielen will be wearing a special helmet decal for the remainder of the season to recognize the nomination.
The winner of the award will be announced during NFL Honors, which airs the Thursday before the Super Bowl.
All 32 nominees receive a $40,000 donation for the charity of their choice, and the winner gets $250,000 for the charity of their choice.