Packers' Kenny Clark; Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 01: Kenny Clark #97 of the Green Bay Packers warms up prior to a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field on January 01, 2023 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Kayla Wolf/Getty Images)
GREEN BAY, Wis. - The Green Bay Packers announced on Thursday, Dec. 5 that defensive lineman Kenny Clark has been named the team’s nominee for the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.
A news release says the award is the league’s most prestigious honor and acknowledges NFL players that excel on the field and demonstrate a steadfast commitment to creating a positive impact beyond the game.
This is the second time Clark has been nominated for the award. The last nomination came in 2018.
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As a nominee, Clark 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.
Winner announced in February
All 32 nominees will be recognized for their achievements during the week leading up to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. The winner of the 2024 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award will be announced during NFL Honors, a primetime awards special to air nationally on FOX and the NFL Network on Thursday, Feb. 6.
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Each nominee will receive up to $55,000 and the award winner will receive up to a $265,000 donation to their charity of choice. All donations are made possible by the NFL Foundation and Nationwide Foundation.
Clark's impact (from Packers release)
As soon as he entered the league in 2016, Clark began to use his platform to make a difference for kids, families and those in need across Wisconsin and his native Southern California, demonstrating his passion for both communities. Clark’s foundation – The Clark Family Dreams Do Come True Foundation – focuses on empowering youth with resources and mentorship to succeed no matter their upbringing. This summer, the foundation hosted its 8th annual Kenny Clark Dreams Do Come True Football Camp in California, providing hundreds of kids the opportunity to learn and play the game with NFL players and coaches at no cost. Clark has assembled food packages for Wisconsin families, provided 250 families in Riverside, Calif., with a full Thanksgiving dinner, and donated celebrity dinners to the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Green Bay. He has also hosted coat and toy drives so kids can stay warm and experience the joy of the holidays.
Clark has also been involved in a wide variety of Packers community outreach efforts during his time with the team, signing autographs to raise money for the Salvation Army, visiting kids at Children’s Wisconsin in Milwaukee and taking part in several events with the Brown County Pals Program, a mentorship program that pairs children involved with Brown County Child Protective Services with positive role models. This year, Clark also participated in his second Packers Tailgate Tour, spending a week of his offseason traveling by bus throughout Wisconsin with several teammates and former Packers players to connect with fans, thank them for their support and raise money for local nonprofits.
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Perhaps closest to Clark’s heart is the work he does to support children with incarcerated parents. Knowing first-hand the challenges of having an incarcerated parent, Clark works to provide hope and encouragement to kids in similar situations. He served as the ambassador for the U.S. Dream Academy, an NFL Inspire Change education grant partner that provides mentorship to children of incarcerated parents. He has raised awareness and money for Angel Tree, a Prison Fellowship program that provides Christmas gifts to children on behalf of their incarcerated parents.