CLEVELAND — A 4-time Pro Bowl selection, Jarvis Landry has already accomplished plenty of the course of the first six seasons of his NFL career.
But on Thursday, the Cleveland Browns wide receiver added a new honor to his resume as his team named him its Walter Payton Man of the Year, an award that is presented annually to a player on each team "for his performance on the field and his dedication to the community."
“While we greatly respect all of our players’ work in the community, Jarvis is truly deserving of this award as he has been a strong leader both on and off the field since coming to Cleveland,” Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement. “We are proud that Jarvis is able to represent the Browns as our Walter Payton Man of the Year as he has made a significant impact in many important areas for our team, including through his commitment to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and youth football initiatives.”
“Jarvis brings such a great passion and energy to everything he does, and that has allowed him to not only be exceptional as a football player but also as a leader and as a man,” added general manager John Dorsey. “Like the great Walter Payton, he is reliable and consistently inspires others to be their best, which is why it is fitting for him to receive this special honor.”
Acquired from the Miami Dolphins in a trade prior to the 2018 season, Landry currently leads the Browns with 69 receptions, five touchdown catches and 995 yards through the first 13 games of the 2019 season. In addition to his work on the field, the LSU product has been a visible figure in the fight against Cystic Fibrosis, which claimed his high school sweetheart, Mya Zimmer, in 2015. He has also supported local youth football efforts in both Northeast Ohio and his home state of Louisiana.
Landry will be formally presented his award by Browns ownership prior to the team's regular-season home finale against the Baltimore Ravens on Dec. 22. Fans are also encouraged to support Landry in Nationwide's Fifth Annual Charity Challenge by using the hashtag #WPMOYChallengeLandry, as the player whose unique hashtag is used the most from Dec. 12-Jan. 12 will receive a $25,000 contribution to their charity of choice.
Past Browns nominees for the award include:
- 1999 OG Jim Pyne
- 2000 LB Jamir Miller
- 2001 LB Wali Rainer
- 2002 RB Jamel White
- 2003 QB Kelly Holcomb
- 2004 DE Kenard Lang
- 2005 QB Trent Dilfer
- 2006 QB Charlie Frye
- 2007 WR Braylon Edwards
- 2008 K Phil Dawson
- 2009 WR Mike Furrey
- 2010 OL Joe Thomas
- 2011 WR Joshua Cribbs
- 2012 OL Joe Thomas
- 2013 LB Jabaal Sheard
- 2014 LB Craig Robertson
- 2015 TE Gary Barnidge
- 2016 OL Joe Thomas
- 2017 TE Randall Telfer
- 2018 LB Christian Kirksey
- 2019 WR Jarvis Landry