Cleveland Browns Star Reacts To Earning Prestigious NFL Honor

After being named the Browns Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, cornerback Denzel Ward talked about what the honor meant to him ahead of Week 14

Oct 27, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward (21) breaks up a pass intended for Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Nelson Agholor (15) during the second quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images / Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Being nominated for the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year Award once is an honor all on its own. For Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward to receive that recognition twice, is an even more remarkable accomplishment.

Ward learned that he was the team's 2024 nominee for what's considered the NFL's most prestigious award this week. It recognizes the three-time Pro Bowler for his off the field work in the community, most notably for his efforts with his Make Them Know Your Name foundation.

"It means a lot," said Ward. "It’s a big honor just in this league and it doesn’t happen often to a lot of people. For me to have the opportunity for that to happen twice, it just means a lot. I know it means a lot to my mom as well, my brother and everyone that takes part in my foundation in trying to spread heart health awareness. So, definitely means a lot and going to continue to try to make a positive impact in the community and the world."

Aug 3, 2023; Canton, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward warms up before the game between the Browns and the New York Jets at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

MTKYN was founded in 2019, in honor of Ward's father Paul G. Ward Jr, who passed away while Ward was in college due to cardiac arrest. The foundation's mission is to help prevent heart related fatalities in communities across the nation, and accomplish this by providing the resources necessary to educate people in the various aspects of heart health.

"It just shows that the efforts that what we've been doing has been paying off and helping and working," said Ward. "And so we're going to continue to push forward and like I said, if we could save one life, that's going to mean the world to us and try to just prevent fatality from happening in other people's lives. So just whatever we can do to just help."

Some of the more recent initiatives of MTKYN included Ward traveling to the Columbus to provide written testimonies in support of House Bill 47. The bill requires all public and non-public charter schools – along with all municipally owned or operated sports and recreational centers – to have automatic external defibrillators (AEDs). Ward's plea helped get the bill signed by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine in July.

Additionally, MTKYN also committed $150,000 to bring over 100 state-of-the-art, lifesaving Avive Connect AEDS to countless organizations and business in the Cleveland community.

As an NFL star, Ward may be the face of MTKYN, and the person who could ultimately be recognized during Super Bowl week as the official recipient of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award at the NFL Honors show. But Ward knows the work they've done would be impossible without the efforts of his mother.

"I literally tell her, she's a backbone of the foundation," said Ward. "She's really the Walter Payton mom of the year. She literally runs the foundation and does everything in there and so it's really her award. I'll be telling her, this is your award, you deserve this. But I really appreciate her. She does a lot for the foundation and getting it going and setting up the events and so I know she's appreciative of it as well."

Together, Ward and his mother are making an impact in the community, all in the name of Ward's father. Ward is grateful to be able to keep his father's legacy alive by saving others.

"Yeah, it means a lot. I feel that he definitely set his own legacy, but like you said, just trying to continue to keep his name out there and like I said, just save lives, help as best way as we can. But definitely means a lot to me."

It's safe to say Ward has made the most of a bad situation and has honored his father's memory in a pretty incredible way. Whether he takes home the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award officially on Thursday, Feb. 6 or not, Ward has a lot to be proud of. On and off the field.