Las Vegas Raiders

Dan Williams Nominated for 2016 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

Oakland Raiders defensive tackle Dan Williams is the team’s nominee for the 2016 Walter Payton Man of the Year award.

The NFL announced its 32 nominees for the annual Walter Payton Man of the Year award. Each team gets one nominee, and for the Oakland Raiders, Dan Williams gets the nod.

The award is one of the most prestigious in the league, as it recognizes a player for his excellence on and off the field, with philanthropy and community impact being key factors in determining the winner.

Three finalists will be announced in January, and the winner will be announced in Houston at NFL Honors the night before the Super Bowl.

Per Raiders.com:

This year, in addition to a donation to a charity of his choice, each nominee will also receive a donation in his name to implement the NFL and United Way’s Character Playbook Program in his club’s market.

The award was created in 1970 but renamed after Walter Payton following his death in 1987. George Blanda is the only member of the Raiders to ever earn this honor, in 1974.