Vance McDonald named Steelers’ Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee

Teammates repeatedly have complimented Vance McDonald for his selfless attitude in taking on a less glamorous and prominent role on the field this season. Turns out, that selflessness extends beyond football and into more meaningful ventures.

And the Pittsburgh Steelers cited McDonald’s “dedication to philanthropy and community” in naming him their nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award Thursday.

“Vance is a quality player, a quality teammate and a quality person,” coach Mike Tomlin said in a release from the Steelers. “He’s not low-maintenance; he’s no-maintenance. He uplifts his teammates, just like he uplifts the community.”

Vance McDonald has a heart of gold & a passion for helping those in need.#WPMOY | #WPMOYChallenge | @Nationwide pic.twitter.com/VdfcUTpNvB

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) December 10, 2020

An eight-year veteran who is in his fourth season with the Steelers, McDonald has focused his off-the-field efforts on a partnership with Convoy of Hope, a faith-based, nonprofit organization with a driving passion to feed the world through children’s feeding initiatives, community outreaches, and disaster response. Among McDonald’s work with the organization has been “Huddle for the Holidays” and “Trucks of Hope.”

“Convoy of Hope just lays it out to help other people,” McDonald said in a story posted on the Steelers’ official website. “It’s an honor to be a partner with them. I love the humility they bring to everything. Every person that walks through the door, they call them ‘Guests of honor,’ that is how they view them and that is how they want to send them off, to show them how much they mean to them and they are people that matter. Every person they are serving, No. 1, it’s, ‘I want to show you how much of a prized possession you are, not only to me, but in the eyes of God.’

“You put smiles on kid’s faces. You are helping out moms. You are getting all of the goods and services and picking things that fit the holiday season and things that might be overlooked by some families because of their circumstances. You are serving all aspects of the family.”

Today was the first day of Huddle for the Holidays! The @steelers teamed up with @ConvoyofHope to provide local families with food, supplies and gifts for the holidays. pic.twitter.com/Gg0fStslUi

— Steelers Community Relations (@SteelersCR) December 8, 2020

For the remainder of the season, McDonald’s helmet will be affixed with a decal recognizing his status as a Payton Award nominee. All 32 team nominees will be recognized during the weekend of the Super Bowl before the league-wide winner is announced.

Each nominee will have a $40,000 donation made to a charity of his choice, with the winner receiving a $250,000 donation for his chosen charity.

The Steelers’ No. 1 tight end from the time he was acquired via an August 2017 trade, McDonald has mostly filled a complementary role this season after the Steelers signed Eric Ebron to a two-year, $12 million contract in March.

Hey, Steelers Nation, get the latest news about the Pittsburgh Steelers here.