The Chicago Bears were fortunate enough to have rostered running back Walter Payton, winning a Super Bowl with the man nicknamed ?Sweetness? in 1986. Flash forward to today, and the Walter Payton Man of the Year award aims to carry on his legacy by honoring the players who exemplify who the Bears legend was on and off the field, a high standard indeed.
This season?s nominee for the Bears is defensive tackle Justin Jones. In his second year with the team, Jones is a leader in the locker room and on the field. He reacted to the announcement of the nomination.
?I dont take it for granted,? Jones posted on X on December 5. “I appreciate y?all.?
Bears’ Justin Jones Reflects on Walter Payton Man of the Year Award Nomination
Bears DT has ‘Always Been a Helper
This is the first nomination for the sixth-year man out of North Carolina St. He is active in the community, helping single-parent households and mentoring young people, among other acts.
“I’ve always been the helper,” Jones said, per Gabby Hajduk of ChicagoBears.com. “I’ve always felt really good about just making people feel good, making people happy, seeing smiles. Stuff like that makes me happy. So just being able to help somebody else out, even if it’s words of encouragement or making sure you have something for Christmas or making sure you got food for Thanksgiving.
“Little stuff like that puts a smile on my face because I don’t want anything for Christmas. I don’t want anything for my birthday. I want to make sure everybody else is happy. That’s kind of how I am.”
Per Hajduk, Jones became aware of the nomination unexpectedly with a message from Payton’s family during a team meeting in November. Payton’s children – Jarrett and Brittney – have both been active in covering the team at different points. His wife, Connie, remains a beloved figure in the community and organization.
The award is held in high regard as the ?most prestigious? honor a player can receive.
Justin Jones Would Be a Rarity for Bears
Jones would be the first Bears player to win the award since cornerback (and 2023 Hall of Fame nominee) Charles Tillman in 2013. Defensive tackle Jim Flanigan (2000) is the only other Bear to win the award since it was renamed for Payton in 1999.
Current Bears Jaylon Johnson (2022) and DJ Moore (2022, Carolina Panthers) have both been nominees.
All 32 nominees (one from each team) receive recognition for their work during the week leading up to the Super Bowl. The league will announce the winner on February 8 during the NFL Honors primetime special. Last year?s winner was Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowl quarterback Dak Prescott.