Carolina Panthers give special honor to veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen

Adam Thielen is the Man of the Year nominee.

Dec 1, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen (19) catches the ball in the second quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Adam Thielen has been given a special honor for the 2024 season, and it has nothing to do with how well he's played on the field for the Carolina Panthers. Thielen has been named the team's Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee. Each of the 32 teams gets one player to nominate, and Thielen was Carolina's choice.

Adam Thielen snags Walter Payton Man of the Year nomination

Every year, each team submits one player they believe exemplifies excellence on the field and commitment to the community off of it. This year, the Panthers believe that's Adam Thielen. He dealt with a hamstring injury that kept him out of several contests, but when on the field, he's played well.

That includes a stellar outing last week, where he had one touchdown (should have been two) and a superb one-handed grab on third down in overtime. Truly, though, the award is more based on what Thielen has done for the community.

He will be up against 31 other deserving candidates, all of whom have made a tremendous impact on their cities. Thielen’s foundation is set to donate over $800,000 to local charities, with over $790,000 already committed and more on the way for the rest of the year. Thielen's foundation supports funding youth sports programs, donating to local football leagues and basketball programs, and increasing mental health efforts.

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