The Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced today quarterback Baker Mayfield as their club winner for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, presented by Nationwide. This marks the first time Mayfield has been nominated for the league’s most prestigious honor, which recognizes an NFL player for outstanding community service activities, as well as excellence on the field.
“Being recognized for this award alongside the best in our league is an extraordinary honor,” Mayfield said. “Our responsibility as professional athletes and NFL players extends far beyond what we do on the field, and it is incredibly humbling to be considered for Walter Payton Man of the Year. I’m grateful for the opportunity to make a difference through this platform and to help others overcome whatever challenges they may be facing.
At every stop along his journey, Mayfield has made it a priority to serve the local community. Upon his arrival in Tampa in 2023, Mayfield launched the Baker & Emily Mayfield Foundation alongside his wife Emily, hosting their first community event with the inaugural “Be the Ball” in Tampa before taking his first snap as a Buccaneer. In the last three years, this event has raised nearly $600,000 for the Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough County to empower the next generation and enhance early childhood learning.
Through all the work that Mayfield does, there is a consistent theme of helping others to overcome challenges, something he is no stranger to. A year ago, when Mayfield received word that a Florida high school would not have enough equipment for their football team to have a season, he stepped in to help, donating $17,900 for new shoulder pads and helmets to the Space Coast Vipers, located on the East Coast of Florida. This donation propelled the Vipers to make school history when they secured their first state title, winning the 2024 SSAA 1A State Championship.
This past May, the Baker & Emily Mayfield Foundation announced their “Walk-On Scholarship” for walk-on student athletes like Mayfield. The foundation has since awarded two $10,000 scholarships to active walk-on student athletes, renewable for up to three additional years for each eligible recipient.
And when disaster struck the Tampa Bay area, Mayfield sprang into action. Following a devastating 2024 hurricane season, he donated $50,000 towards relief efforts to Team Rubicon, a veteran-led disaster relief organization.
Mayfield began working with Meals on Wheels, a national nonprofit dedicated to providing seniors with nutritious meals by way of daily visits, in 2017 while at the University of Oklahoma, work he continues to this day. This past April, Mayfield alongside his wife Emily, hosted the No Bogeys with Baker and Emily Mayfield Fundraiser’ event in Oklahoma City, with all proceeds benefiting Meals on Wheels in Norman. During his time with the Cleveland Browns, he hosted his annual Passing the Joy event at a local Boys & Girls Club each of his four seasons as a Brown, beginning with his rookie year in 2018. He is also an active volunteer with Special Olympics, the world’s largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
On the field, Mayfield has put together back-to-back standout seasons as a Buccaneer. Signed as an unrestricted free agent in March 2023, he has since set career-highs in completions, passing yards, passing touchdowns and completion percentage, leading the Buccaneers to back-to-back NFC South titles since his arrival. Serving as a captain the last three seasons, he has already cemented himself in Buccaneer history, becoming the only quarterback in franchise history to be selected to multiple Pro Bowls, earning the nod in both 2023 and 2024, while setting the single-season franchise record for completion percentage and passer rating a year ago. In 2024, he became the fourth player in NFL history to record a season with 4,000+ passing yards, 40+ touchdowns and a 70% or higher completion rate, joining Drew Brees (2011), Joe Burrow (2024) and Aaron Rodgers (2020). Mayfield was selected first overall by the Cleveland Browns in the 2018 NFL Draft, leading the franchise to their first playoff victory in 26 years back in 2020.
Each club winner will receive up to $40,000, with the winner receiving a $250,000 donation to their charity of choice. All donations are made possible by the NFL Foundation and Nationwide Foundation.
All 32 club winners will be recognized during the week leading up to Super Bowl LX in the Bay area. The winner of the 2025 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide will be announced during NFL Honors on Thursday, Feb. 5.
Fans are once again encouraged to participate in Nationwide’s annual Charity Challenge, a social media and online contest that allows fans to show support for their favorite Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year club winner. Fans can vote on X by posting #WPMOYChallenge along with the last name/X handle of their chosen club winner or by voting directly on NFL.com/ManOfTheYear. The club winner who receives the most collective hashtag mentions and online votes will win an additional $35,000 donation from Nationwide to the charity of their choice, with the runner-up receiving $10,000 and the third-place winner receiving $5,000. Charity Challenge voting takes place from Thursday, Dec. 4 through Monday, Jan. 5.
Beginning Week 14 and continuing through the end of the season, each of this year’s club winners will wear a special Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal in recognition of their accomplishments on and off the field.
For more information about the award, please visit NFL.com/ManOfTheYear.
Below is a list of Buccaneers Man of the Year nominees, dating back to 2000:
