The NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award could this year be called the Men of the Year Award.
Giants quarterback Eli Manning and Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald are the co-Man of the Year recipients, the league announced tonight.
The Man of the Year Award goes to a player who demonstrates excellence both on and off the field. Manning and Fitzgerald both have a long track record of charity and volunteer work in addition to their professional success.
This is the third time the Man of the Year Award has been split. In 2000 Derrick Brooks and Jim Flanigan shared the award, while in 2006 Drew Brees and LaDainian Tomlinson shared it.
Manning and Fitzgerald entered the league together as the first and third overall picks in the 2004 NFL draft, and now as their careers wind down, they’re continuing to gain recognition together.