When the NFL world gathers on the eve of Super Bowl LI for the annual NFL Honors Awards, we’re all hoping that the Dallas Cowboys will be nestled in their beds getting ready for a game the next day. While that’s happening, they’ll likely be picking up a lot of hardware.
Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott – who lead the NFL in Pro Bowl votes – are both in the running for the league’s Most Valuable Player Award, and subsequently Rookie of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year. Jason Garrett is in the running for Coach of the Year, and now we know of another Cowboy who could net a prize.
The Walter Payton Man of the Year Award is presented to the NFL player that personifies excellence on the field in parallel with great charity work and off-the-field generosity. Each team has a nominee, and this year the Dallas Cowboys’ Walter Payton Man of the Year Award nominee is Sean Lee.
Walter Payton Man of the Year nominees announced. Some All-Time greats on this prestigious list: pic.twitter.com/jQ0Iz3BWL2
— Kevin Patra (@kpatra) December 7, 2016
It is an illustrious honor simply to be nominated for this prestigious recognition. The legend of Pro Football Hall of Famer Walter Payton has lived on well beyond his life, and this award exemplifies the legacy that he created.
In the history of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, it dates back to the NFL-AFL merger in 1970, only three members of the Dallas Cowboys have won it. Given the prestige of the award it should come as no shock to Cowboys Nation who they are. The club Sean Lee is hoping to join includes Roger Staubach (1978), Troy Aikman (1997), and Jason Witten (2012). This is a list of two Pro Football Hall of Famers and one soon-to-be.
If Sean Lee were to walk away with the award the Cowboys would be tied for the second-most “wins” of it by an NFL Franchise. Fittingly the Bears have the most with five (the Kansas City Chiefs also have five for what it’s worth), and both the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Diego Chargers have had four of their members win it.
Congratulations to Sean Lee for this nomination, and we obviously hope he isn’t present to win it on Super Bowl LI Eve.
How proud are you of Sean Lee? Let us know! Comment below, Email me at RJ.Ochoa@SlantSports.com, or Tweet to me at @RJOchoa!
