Dalton named Bengals nominee for Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year

Quarterback Andy Dalton is the Cincinnati Bengals nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award, which is one of the league’s most prestigious awards that recognizes a player for his excellence on and off the field.

All 32 nominees were announced Wednesday.

Three of them will be selected as finalists for the award in January, and the winner be announced at the NFL Honors in Houston the night before the Super Bowl.

Each nominee will receive a donation to a charity of his choice and, for the first time they also will receive a donation in their name to implement the NFL and United Way’s Character Playbook Program in their team’s home market.

The Character Playbook is an education initiative focused on youth character development and healthy relationships.

Dalton and his wife Jordan launched their foundation in 2011 with the mission to provide daily support, opportunities, resources and life-changing experiences to seriously ill and physically challenged children and their families in Cincinnati and Fort Worth.

The Andy & Jordan Dalton Foundation has raised $2.1 million and has reached the lives of nearly 2.5 million individuals through its five signature community outreach programs.

Defensive end Carlos Dunlap was the Bengals nominee for the Payton award last year.

Here is a list of all 32 nominees announced Wednesday:

TEAM NOMINEES
Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald
Atlanta Falcons Matt Ryan
Baltimore Ravens Steve Smith Sr.
Buffalo Bills Eric Wood
Carolina Panthers Greg Olsen
Chicago Bears Sam Acho
Cincinnati Bengals Andy Dalton
Cleveland Browns Joe Thomas
Dallas Cowboys Sean Lee
Denver Broncos Virgil Green
Detroit Lions Don Carey
Green Bay Packers Jayrone Elliott
Houston Texans Brian Cushing
Indianapolis Colts Joe Reitz
Jacksonville Jaguars Julius Thomas
Kansas City Chiefs Alex Smith
Los Angeles Rams Johnny Hekker
Miami Dolphins Mike Pouncey
Minnesota Vikings Chad Greenway
New England Patriots Rob Gronkowski
New Orleans Saints Roman Harper
New York Giants Eli Manning
New York Jets Brandon Marshall
Oakland Raiders Dan Williams
Philadelphia Eagles Jon Dorenbos
Pittsburgh Steelers Arthur Moats
San Diego Chargers Jeremiah Attaochu
San Francisco 49ers Torrey Smith
Seattle Seahawks Cliff Avril
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Vincent Jackson
Tennessee Titans Jurrell Casey
Washington Redskins Pierre Garçon

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