EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Chad Greenway has been selected as the Vikings Community Man of the Year for the third straight season, the team announced Wednesday as the NFL announced the selections to represent all 32 teams.
It is the fourth time that Greenway, the longest-tenured Viking in his 11th season, has been chosen for his commitment to philanthropy and community impact.
Greenway has moved into fourth-place all-time in tackles with 1,325. He also ranks fourth in games played (152) by a Vikings linebacker and could tie Jeff Siemon with 156 by seasons' end.
Off the field, Greenway's "Lead The Way" Foundation has raised more than $1.5 million to support chronically and critically ill children and their families throughout the Upper Midwest. In September, Chad and his wife, Jenni, broke ground on a $75,000 handicap accessible playground facility at the Ronald McDonald House of the Greater Twin Cities.
He is eligible for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide.
The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award recognizes a player for his excellence on and off the field and is among the league's most prestigious awards. The field of 32 will be narrowed to three finalists in January for the award that was named in honor of the Bears Hall of Fame running back who passed away in 1999.
The winner will be announced on in Houston during "NFL Honors," a two-hour prime-time awards special to air nationally on Feb. 4, 2017, the night before Super Bowl LI, from 7-9 p.m. (CT) on FOX.
Three of the nominees will be selected as finalists for the award, named for Hall of Fame Chicago Bears running back, Walter Payton, who died in 1999. Finalists will be announced in January 2017.
"We're proud to honor these outstanding men who represent the NFL's best on and off the field," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. "Our players have a unique platform to make a difference far beyond the field of play. We salute these individuals who are exemplary in their commitment to making a positive impact in communities across the globe through their dedicated service and philanthropic efforts."
To further celebrate and promote the 32 nominees, Nationwide, the presenting sponsor of the Award, will host the second annual Charity Challenge. As part of the social media challenge, each nominee will have a unique hashtag, and fans will be encouraged to tweet using the player hashtags. The player hashtag that generates the most mentions will win an additional $25,000 donation to his charity of choice, courtesy of Nationwide.
The hashtag for Greenway is: #GreenwayWPMOYChallenge
For more information on the team nominees and the award, visit NFL.com/manoftheyear.
2016 WALTER PAYTON NFL MAN OF THE YEAR TEAM NOMINEES:
Arizona Cardinals: Larry Fitzgerald
Atlanta Falcons: Matt Ryan
Baltimore Ravens: Steve Smith, Sr.
Buffalo Bills: Eric Wood
Carolina Panthers: Greg Olsen
Chicago Bears: Sam Acho
Cincinnati Bengals: Andy Dalton
Cleveland Browns: Joe Thomas
Dallas Cowboys: Sean Lee
Denver Broncos: Virgil Green
Detroit Lions: Don Carey
Green Bay Packers: Jayrone Elliott
Houston Texans: Brian Cushing
Indianapolis Colts: Joe Reitz
Jacksonville Jaguars: Julius Thomas
Kansas City Chiefs: Alex Smith
Los Angeles Rams: Johnny Hekker
Miami Dolphins: Mike Pouncey
Minnesota Vikings: Chad Greenway
New England Patriots: Rob Gronkowski
New Orleans Saints: Roman Harper
New York Giants: Eli Manning
New York Jets: Brandon Marshall
Oakland Raiders: Dan Williams
Philadelphia Eagles: Jon Dorenbos
Pittsburgh Steelers: Arthur Moats
San Diego Chargers: Jeremiah Attaochu
San Francisco 49ers: Torrey Smith
Seattle Seahawks: Cliff Avril
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Vincent Jackson
Tennessee Titans: Jurrell Casey
Washington Redskins: Pierre Garçon
