Jaguars Nominate Dawaune Smoot For Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive lineman Dawaune Smoot has long been one of the franchise's most respected players. Now, the veteran is earning the recognition for it.

On Tuesday, Smoot was nominated by the Jaguars for this year's Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. The award is the league’s most prestigious honor and acknowledges NFL players who excel on the field and demonstrate a passion for creating a lasting positive impact beyond the game in their communities.

"Since signing with the Jaguars in 2017, Smoot has been a champion for the Northeast Florida community engaging in numerous charitable initiatives around food insecurity, education and youth development," the Jaguars said in a release. "Smoot often works with area nonprofits Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida, Better Dads Society and the Jacksonville Arts and Music School, and participates in food distributions with local food banks and the annual “Shop with a Jaguar, providing children from underserved areas of Jacksonville with a holiday shopping spree.

"His passion for youth education, has led him and his wife, Aumari, to open The Elsie Academy, a bilingual early-learning center in Jacksonville that offers a curriculum centered around Biblical principles, individualized academic attention and offers a nurturing environment that promotes excellence. It was at the ribbon cutting for The Elsie Academy that Smoot was surprised with the news of the nomination."

"It is well known that Dawuane is a terrific football player and a key piece of our defense, but his work off the field and in the community will impact local children for years to come. Our entire team is proud to support Dawuane as our Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee for 2023," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said. 

As a nominee, Smoot will wear a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal through the end of the season in recognition of his accomplishments on and off the field.

All 32 nominees will be recognized for their achievements during the week leading up to Super Bowl LVIII. The 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year winner will be announced during NFL Honors, a primetime awards special to air nationally on CBS on Thursday, Feb. 8.

Each nominee will receive up to a $55,000 donation, and the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award winner will receive a $250,000 donation to the charity of his choice.