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Jaguars’ Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Nominee

Jaguars' Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Nominee


His passion for youth education, has led him and his wife, Aumari, to open The Elsie Academy, a bilingual early-learning center in Jacksonville that offers a curriculum centered around Biblical principles, individualized academic attention and offers a nurturing environment that promotes excellence. It was at the ribbon cutting for The Elsie Academy that Smoot was surprised with the news of the nomination.

On the field, the seven-year veteran has played a prominent role on the Jaguars’ defense. His 90+ games played are the most by a defensive player drafted by the Jaguars on the active roster. Since Smoot was drafted in 2017, he has posted 123 total tackles, 62 quarterback hits, 23.5 sacks, five passes defensed and five forced fumbles. His 23.5 sacks are the ninth-most sacks recorded by a Jaguar in team history. 

Jaguars’ head coach Doug Pederson said, “It is well known that Dawuane is a terrific football player and a key piece of our defense, but his work off the field and in the community will impact local children for years to come. Our entire team is proud to support Dawuane as our Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee for 2023.”

As a nominee, Smoot will wear a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal through the end of the season in recognition of his accomplishments on and off the field.

All 32 nominees will be recognized for their achievements during the week leading up to Super Bowl LVIII. The 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year winner will be announced during NFL Honors, a primetime awards special to air nationally on CBS on Thursday, Feb. 8. 

Each nominee will receive up to a $55,000 donation, and the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award winner will receive a $250,000 donation to the charity of his choice. All donations are made possible by the NFL Foundation and Nationwide.

This year, fans are once again encouraged to participate in Nationwide’s annual Charity Challenge, a social media and…

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