Sacramento native Arik Armstead named 49ers nominee for Walter Payton Man of the Year for third consecutive year
SANTA CLARA — For the third-straight year, Sacramento-native Arik Armstead has been nominated by the San Francisco 49ers for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award.
The 49ers said Tuesday that Armstead received the nomination for his "unrivaled accomplishments on the field and in the community.
"I consider my career as what I do on the field and off the field. I think they both go hand in hand. I know a lot of guys do a lot of amazing things in the community, so to be a part of that and be honored with them is a huge experience for me and I don't take it lightly," Armstead said of his nomination. "It's going to allow us to do more work and serve more people."
Armstead's contributions include time spent focusing on youth education equity through his Armstead Academic Project. The 49ers said, since 2015, the defensive lineman has reached more than 6,000 youth and others through community events. He has purchased and delivered more than $20,000 worth of holiday gifts to UC Davis Health pediatric patients for six straight years and has donated more than $500,000 of $2 million committed to supporting Sacramento youth.
His Storytime with Arik Armstead program, which was established in 2020, encourages children to reach grade-level literacy standards. The program has since reached more than 3,000 students across more than 30 classrooms.
As with all teams' nominees, Armstead will wear a Walter Payton Man of the Year decal on his helmet through the remainder of the season. Additionally, nominees each receive a $40,000 donation to go to the charity of their choice.
The winner of the award will be announced at the annual NFL Honors, which will air the Thursday before the Super Bowl.