PHOTOS: NFL players give Super Bowl tickets to youth leaders, spend day engaging with children in the Valley
Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones poses for a photo with a shoe he designed at the My Cause My Cleats station. “This is dope,” Jones said, snapping pictures with his custom shoe. (Tristan Tucker/MEDILL)
PHOENIX — Nominees for the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award gave 12 children in the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley tickets to the Super Bowl for their efforts in the Valley community on Feb. 10.
The 12 children earned the tickets, along with their own Arizona Cardinals jerseys, as the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley’s “Youth of the Year,” recognized for their volunteer efforts assisting the club with their peers.
The players worked in collaboration with the organization to provide all children at the event with a day to meet their favorite players, get active and have discussions about volunteering in the community.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott won the 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award and, along with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, spoke to the children about the importance of giving back to the community. Afterward, it was off to the races.
Prescott took the title for his charitable work off the playing field where he created the Faith Fight Finish Foundation, dedicated to cancer research, suicide prevention and building community between law enforcement officers and area youth.
Various stations were present at the event, such as a tree-planting station in the lot where the event was held, a Madden station, a shoe-decorating station and a room for kids to have one-on-one discussions with the players.
The event was a major success for the community, as laughter echoed through the lot where the event was held. All children and players walked away with a smile on their faces.
“Walter Payton was a great player in the NFL,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. “But more importantly he was a great man, and this award is designed to acknowledge the great men we have playing in our game, which I know Walter would love.” (Tristan Tucker/MEDILL)Nominees for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award pose for a photo opportunity before engaging with the children at the event. (Tristan Tucker/MEDILL)The lot that the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley used to host its Walter Payton Man of the Year event is in development. Players like Miami Dolphins linebacker Jaelan Phillips worked with children and volunteers to begin planting trees in the area. (Tristan Tucker/MEDILL)New England Patriots defensive end Lawrence Guy plants trees with children to help fill the empty lot where the Walter Payton Man of the Year celebration was held. (Tristan Tucker/MEDILL)San Francisco 49ers defensive end Arik Armstead uses a shovel to help dig holes for volunteers and construction workers to plant trees. (Tristan Tucker/MEDILL)The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley hosted the 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year event, where nearly 20 NFL players got to spend the day hanging out with youth in the community. (Tristan Tucker/MEDILL)Las Vegas Raiders punter A.J. Cole III escorts the children in his group to the next station after running drills at the Play60 booth. (Tristan Tucker/MEDILL)Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones poses for a photo with a shoe he designed at the My Cause My Cleats station. “This is dope,” Jones said, snapping pictures with his custom shoe. (Tristan Tucker/MEDILL)One child painted a custom shoe at the My Cause My Cleats. “Success is not final,” the shoe reads. “Failure is not fatal. It’s the courage to continue that counts. Strength is the best to have in this world.” (Tristan Tucker/MEDILL)2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year Dak Prescott sits down with children to discuss what superpowers they wish they had. (Tristan Tucker/MEDILL)“The 12 of you … you’re the future leaders of America,” Walter Payton Man of the Year Dak Prescott said. “We want to congratulate you for all the hard work, but more importantly, say ‘enjoy the Super Bowl’ on behalf of the NFL.” (Tristan Tucker/MEDILL)A Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley Youths of the Year poses with his brand-new Super Bowl LVII ticket. (Tristan Tucker/MEDILL)Children run drills at the Play60 station, which encourages kids to get active. Both stations featured players throwing passes to kids and Baltimore Ravens safety Chuck Clark got in on the festivities. (Tristan Tucker/MEDILL)New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley talks about the importance of volunteering and seeing the impact of one’s work in their community. (Tristan Tucker/MEDILL)Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen listens in on a discussion about not letting fear control one’s actions. (Tristan Tucker/MEDILL)
Tristan Tucker is a sports media graduate student at Medill. You can follow him on Twitter at @TristanRTucker.
