Nominations were submitted by every team in the NFL this week for the league’s most prestigious honor, the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, and the Houston Texans selected linebacker Christian Kirksey as their representative for his work in the community this year. Ultimately, every player who is nominated is deserving of the accolade, but only one will be chosen as the league’s top off-field performer for their service.
Cornerback Desmond King II was asked about Kirksey’s nomination on Tuesday and made it clear to the media that the recognition has been a long time coming for his college teammate.
“I’ve been around Christian [Kirksey] for so long now,” King told reporters. “He was actually a senior in college when I was a freshman at Iowa, so I’ve been around Christian. Very great person, very selfless. He cares about everyone that’s around him. Definitely a leader and I congratulate him for being nominated for that award. He is definitely the epitome of being a community guy. That’s something that’s definitely stood out for him since I’ve met him.”
The praise from King is certainly warranted and speaks to Kirksey’s commitment over a series of years to making an impact in the communities he has played in. It takes a special kind of person to be put up for consideration to receive such a high honor, and Kirksey certainly seems to fit the bill.
In his nomination, the Texans cited Kirksey’s work with families in Uvalde, Texas, and his continued commitment to strengthening the team’s bond with Texas Southern University as examples of work he has put in to warrant his selection as the team’s candidate.
Fans should stay tuned to the NFL’s postseason awards as the season winds down to stay in the know about Kirksey’s chances of winning the award.
