Chris Long nominated for NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award

PHILADELPHIA (WINA) – The Philadelphia Eagles have tweeted a video of former UVA and St. Anne’s-Belfield football star Chris Long being told he is the team’s nominee for the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. Named after Chicago Bears Hall of Fame running back Walter Payton, the award goes to the man the NFL recognizes as an example of philanthropy and community service. All 32 teams have a single nominee… and the winner will be announced during a two-hour televised TV special February 2nd, the night before Super Bowl LIII.

The video shows that awkward moment Long enters Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie’s office… because it’s not often a player is called to the owner’s office. Lurie first tells him it’s good news, then breaks the news of the nomination. The two hug and Lurie lists the efforts the Chris Long Foundation is doing… and tells him he’s almost never had a player “so-committed to communities around the world”.

You can watch the video at this link.

The 32 nominee are:

Arizona Cardinals S Antoine Bethea

Atlanta Falcons DT Grady Jarrett

Baltimore Ravens CB Brandon Carr

Buffalo Bills LB Lorenzo Alexander

Carolina Panthers DE Julius Peppers

Chicago Bears TE Trey Burton

Cincinnati Bengals DE Carlos Dunlap

Cleveland Browns LB Christian Kirksey

Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott

Denver Broncos LB Von Miller