Key Highlights
- Detroit Lions’ DL DJ Reader has been named the 2025 Club Winner for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide.
- The award recognizes players who excel on the field and demonstrate a commitment to making a positive impact off the field, with Reader’s extensive community efforts playing a significant role.
- Reader’s initiatives include his A Son Never Forgets Foundation, which promotes health and wellness, and various educational and charitable programs in Detroit.
- The award winners will be recognized during a week leading up to Super Bowl LX in the Bay Area.
Detroit Lions’ DL DJ Reader Named 2025 Club Winner for NFL Man of the Year Award
The Detroit Lions have announced that defensive lineman DJ Reader has been selected as their 2025 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award winner, presented by Nationwide. This prestigious honor is given to players who not only excel on the field but also demonstrate a commitment to making a positive impact in their communities beyond football.
Reader’s Community Service Efforts
DJ Reader has been a dedicated community servant for years, bringing his passion of giving back with him to Detroit. His efforts span a wide variety of causes, from health care access and youth empowerment to education and food security. He is the driving force behind the A Son Never Forgets Foundation, which promotes health and wellness through vital information, services, resources, and activities designed to impact sustainable communities.
Through this foundation, Reader organizes an annual Football Skills & Drills Camp in North Carolina, provides free health screenings and wellness programs for the community, and has established six public reading rooms between North Carolina and Cincinnati. He has also donated grants to various athletic programs throughout North Carolina for new facilities, equipment, and competition fees.
Reader’s Long-Term Commitment
The work Reader has done over his 10-year NFL career is deeply rooted in family values and a deep understanding of the impact community support can have. His late father passed away from kidney disease in 2014, which led him to become a long-time supporter of the National Kidney Foundation. Since 2016, Reader has annually granted scholarships to students from his hometown of Greensboro, North Carolina, through a memorial scholarship fund created in honor of his father.
He also hosted the National Kidney Foundation Charity Walk in Houston in 2019, helping raise $75,000 and tripling the city’s prior average total. That same year, he organized the foundation’s Golf Tournament, raising more than $100,000 for kidney awareness and research.
Recognition and Future Plans
In honor of his achievements both on and off the field, Reader will wear a special Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal during games. He is one of 32 club winners who will be recognized in the lead-up to Super Bowl LX. The national winner will be announced during NFL Honors on February 5, 2026.
Each of this year’s club winners supports a range of causes and initiatives off the field, including uplifting underserved communities, empowering young people to lead healthy lifestyles, and many other notable causes.
The charitable beneficiary of each team’s club winner will receive $40,000, and the nonprofit chosen by the overall national winner will receive $250,000.
Fans are encouraged to participate in Nationwide’s annual Charity Challenge, a social media and online contest that allows them to show support for their favorite Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year club winner. Voting takes place from December 4 through January 5, 2026, with the player who receives the most collective hashtag mentions and online votes winning an additional $35,000 donation.
For more information about the award and Reader’s extensive community service efforts, visit NFL.com/ManOfTheYear. This recognition not only honors DJ Reader but also underscores the importance of giving back to the communities where these players live and play.
