Cameron Heyward, a defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers, was named the 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, the NFL announced today. During Thursday night’s NFL Honors telecast on CBS, Prince Harry gave out the trophy.
According to a joint press statement from the NFL and Nationwide on Thursday, the award given by Nationwide is the most prestigious in the league and recognizes NFL players who thrive on the field and show a commitment for making a lasting good effect outside of the game.
The 1970-established national award was renamed in 1999 in honor of Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton, a member of the Hall of Fame.All 32 NFL clubs’ Man of the Year nominees will be honored for their accomplishments to the game and their communities prior to Super Bowl LVIII’s beginning. Heyward will be presented as the 2023 recipient of Man of the Year during the pregame.
Cameron Heyward, who has played in the NFL for 13 seasons, is renowned for creating some of the top defensive line plays in the business and has emerged as a key figure in the locker room. His 78.5 career sacks rank third among active NFL defensive tackles and are the most by any defensive lineman since 1982, not to mention the history of the Steelers.His 177 quarterback hits and 116 tackles for loss rank third among active defensive lineman over the nine seasons he has been the defensive captain. Six Pro Bowls, three Associated Press First Team All-Pro selections, three Pro Football Focus First Team All-Pro crowns, and two Pro Football Writers of America All-NFL selections are just a few of Heyward’s individual on-field achievements.
Furthermore, Heyward is the only other interior defensive lineman (DT-NT) for the Steelers to be selected many times to the Associated Press First-Team All-Pro.After his father passed away, Heyward was raised by his mother and his three siblings, exposing him to the difficulties faced by kids and parents of one-parent households. In order to leave a lasting legacy, Heyward, as a son, brother, husband, and father, now deeply values family and instills the value of service.
This is why, in 2014, he established The Heyward House Foundation, an organization devoted to combating hunger, battling illness, promoting literacy, and assisting educators and kids through a range of programs.Since both of Heyward’s deceased grandparents had worked as teachers in Pittsburgh Public Schools for a considerable amount of time, Heyward established the Rufus and Judy Jordan Literacy Project in 2020 as a division of the Heyward House Foundation.
Heyward installed Little Free Libraries for marginalized communities as part of the project, and over 9,300 youngsters received wholesome meals they could take home for the weekend. Heyward began working with The Southeastern Brain Tumor Foundation to raise funds for $40,000 in scholarships to support post-secondary education for brain tumor patients and their families in remembrance of his father, who passed away from brain cancer and was a strong supporter of education.
A six-time Steelers Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee, Heyward is a stalwart both on and off the field in Pittsburgh. Throughout the 2023–2024 season, he oversaw outreach initiatives that had a bigger influence on the community. Heyward welcomed high school players who had been nominated by their coaches and who had also sustained injuries to the Steelers’ practice facility following an injury that kept him out of the lineup for six games this season. The invited youngsters interacted with the squad, observed practice, and had conversations on overcoming hardship.
Through his second annual Cam’s Kindness Week, a series of events aimed at improving the lives of kids, academics, healthcare professionals, and athletes, Heyward’s desire to give back persisted.
At the local children’s hospital, Cam started his Kindness Week by recording a book reading for the patients to watch, throwing a Kindness Week Kickoff Party, and buying lunch for all of the staff members, medical professionals, and patient families. He gave speeches all week to high school student athletes, kids grieving the loss of a loved one, and adolescents impacted by the social justice system about the value of striving for success.
Heyward opened the newest Craig’s Closet site as a way to cap up Cam’s Kindness Week. Craig’s Closet is a 2018-founded organization that gives young men professional clothes for internships and job interviews. Through Heyward’s Suiting Up for Success mentorship program, Craig’s Closet has served over 700 young men and currently operates 16 sites throughout Pittsburgh.
A contribution of $250,000 will be given to Heyward, to be used for any charity of his choosing. The maximum award for each nominee is $55,000. Nationwide and the NFL Foundation make all gifts possible.
