Raiders announce Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee

Raiders tight end Darren Waller gestures during a news conference at the Raiders Headquarters at the Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center, Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, in Henderson. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @Heidi Fang

Darren Waller has been chosen as the Raiders’ nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award.

The annual honor is in recognition of a player’s off-field impact in addition to their play on the field. Each of the league’s 32 teams announced their nominees Tuesday.

Waller’s well-documented triumph over substance abuse and his openness about his day-to-day battle dealing with addiction have been an inspiring story during his three years with the Raiders.

As has his off-field work, for which he was recently recognized in Las Vegas as the “Tyler Robinson Foundation Inspiration” recipient at the Rise Up Gala. The event raised over $2.6 million to assist families financially dealing with pediatric cancer.

The NFL Man of The Year award will be presented during Super Bowl week.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore onTwitter.