The Cincinnati Bengals announced that offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. has been selected as the team's nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide. The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award is the league's most prestigious honor, recognizing players who excel on the field and demonstrate a steadfast commitment to creating a positive impact beyond the game.
Brown, who has been a longtime advocate for type 1 diabetes research and education, sought an opportunity to positively impact in the greater Cincinnati area when he joined the Bengals as a free agent during the 2023 offseason. He became involved with the Southern and Central Ohio chapter of Breakthrough T1D (formerly known as JDRF), the leading global type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization, and over the past year has taken part in several initiatives to help raise awareness.
The events Brown has attended include Breakthrough T1D's Children's Congress in Washington, D.C., where he joined youth from across the U.S. to educate lawmakers about T1D and urge the renewal of the Special Diabetes Program, which funds T1D research and has led to significant advancements in treatments and finding cures. He also partnered with Breakthrough T1D and Kroger at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center's Juneteenth Jubilee. As a guest speaker, he emphasized the importance of improving access to T1D educational resources, diabetes management devices and affordable insulin in Black communities. Brown has hosted several community events at the Bengals' Paycor Stadium and other Cincinnati locations, which have allowed him to auction off items and memorabilia to benefit T1D diabetes research.
"I'm so thankful for the opportunity to represent the Bengals organization as its Walter Payton Man of the Year," said Brown. "With all the work that I've done with Type 1 Diabetes, Breakthrough T1D, and so much that we've done as well in the black community here in Cincinnati — I'm very thankful."
Vote for Orlando Brown Jr
Cast your vote for your favorite Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee. The player with the most votes wins $35,000 for their charity, while nominees with the second- and third-most votes win $10,000 and $5,000, respectively, for their charities. Vote today, tomorrow and every day until January 6th.
Brown's unwavering commitment to Type 1 diabetes advocacy stems from a family history with the condition which shaped his childhood. His grandmother was diagnosed with T1D, and his father — former NFL player Orlando Brown Sr. — passed away from diabetic ketoacidosis in 2011 when Orlando Jr. was 15 years old. After his younger brother's diagnosis at age eight, Brown committed to dedicating his time outside of football to increase awareness and better access to therapies and technologies that help manage a T1D condition which affects 1.4 million Americans.
"This is a goal that I've set for myself, to be able to light other people's candles, to give someone comfort and allow others to know that you're not alone," said Brown.
"Orlando Brown, Jr. truly represents the spirit of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award through his unwavering dedication to raising awareness and advocating for the type 1 diabetes community," said Pam Morrisroe, chief marketing officer of Breakthrough T1D. "His voice, along with his family's journey with T1D, has become a powerful force in driving education about T1D, promoting early detection, and emphasizing the importance of finding community and improving access to essential resources and management tools for T1D. As a Breakthrough T1D Ambassador, Orlando has demonstrated extraordinary leadership in supporting our mission. We are incredibly proud to celebrate his well-deserved recognition and the impact of his partnership."
Each nominee will receive up to $55,000 and the award winner will receive up to a $265,000 donation to their charity of choice. All donations are made possible by the NFL Foundation and Nationwide Foundation.
All 32 nominees will be recognized for their achievements during the week leading up to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. The winner of the 2024 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award will be announced during NFL Honors, a primetime awards special to air nationally on FOX and the NFL Network on Thursday, Feb. 6.
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 nominee. Fans can vote on X/Twitter by posting #WPMOYChallenge along with the last name/X handle of their chosen nominee or by voting directly on NFL.com/ManOfTheYear. The nominee 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. 5 to Sunday, Jan. 6.
Beginning Week 14 and continuing through the end of the season, Brown along with each of this year's nominees 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.
