Using their ultra-super powers for good, NFL players around the league have dedicated their lives to protecting their communities and saving the world. When they’re not scoring touchdowns or tackling for loss, NFL players are finding ways to serve their hometowns and team cities – even during the season when time off the field is very limited. Because of this, each week during the regular season, the NFLPA #CommunityMVP program recognizes one player who has demonstrated a commitment to making a positive impact in his community. The weekly Community MVP winners will also become eligible for the annual Byron “Whizzer” White (BWW) Award, which is the highest honor that the NFLPA can bestow upon a player.
SEE THE BWW FINALISTS2017 WEEKLY WINNERS
Week 0
With the whole city on his back, J.J. Watt raised over $33 million in disaster relief funds for Houston after Hurricane Harvey.
JJ Watt
Houston
Week 1
Not all heroes wear capes. Colin Kaepernick continued his $1 million pledge to the community by giving $100,000 each to four charities.
Colin Kaepernick
Free Agent
Week 2
It’s a bird. It’s a plane. No, it’s Chris Long donating six game checks to fund scholarships at his Charlottesville alma mater.
Chris Long
Philadelphia
Week 3
No need to fear; Carson Wentz is here. The QB donated $120,000 to Canine Partners for Life, providing service dogs to those in need.
Carson Wentz
Philadelphia
Week 4
Bam! Boom! Ka-Pow! Max Garcia fights to help raise awareness and goods for Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria.
Max Garcia
Denver
Week 5
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to the rescue providing resources for at-risk youth in Wisconsin through his new HERO Foundation.
Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
Green Bay
Week 6
It’s Vic Beasley Jr. to save the day for childhood cancer by raising awareness and funds through the Rally Foundation
Vic Beasley Jr.
Atlanta
Week 7
It’s clobberin’ time! Travis Frederick is helping feed low-income kids in Dallas through his Blocking Out Hunger Foundation.
Travis Frederick
Dallas
Week 8
Cincinnati Bengal by day, hero by night. Andy Dalton is committed to supporting seriously ill and physically handicapped kids in the community.
Andy Dalton
Cincinnati
Week 9
Carlos Dunlap is fighting for justice all season long with his literacy and anti-bullying tour to empower kids and promote good will across the country.
Carlos Dunlap
Cincinnati
Week 10
Josh Norman uses his powers for good by raising money to support kids in need and the rebuilding in Puerto Rico.
Josh Norman
Washington
Week 11
Vinny Curry played the hero this Thanksgiving by providing a full meal for 200 Philadelphia families in need.
Vinny Curry
Philadelphia
Week 12
Emmanuel Sanders is swooping in to help disadvantaged families during the holidays with his winter clothing, book and toy drive.
Emmanuel Sanders
Denver
Week 13
David Johnson powers up to support seriously ill children and their families through his new Mission 31 Foundation.
David Johnson
Arizona
Week 14
Johnny Hekker sprang into action for victims of the Los Angeles wildfires, delivering supplies and organizing a T-shirt fundraiser.
Johnny Hekker
Los Angeles
Week 15
Knowledge is power for Doug Middleton, who provided a holiday dinner and gifts for disadvantaged kids while educating them on mental health.
Doug Middleton
New York
Week 16
Kenyan Drake loves the kids, which is why he hosted a holiday dinner for 125 youth at a local Boys & Girls Club.
Kenyan Drake
Miami
Week 17
Von Miller helped give the gift of sight by donating more than 2,000 eyeglass frames to Denver kids from low-income families.
Von Miller
Denver
Past Award Winners
2018 - Chris Long, Philadelphia Eagles
2017 - Malcolm Jenkins, Philadelphia Eagles
2016 - Thomas Davis, Carolina Panthers
2015 - Chad Greenway, Minnesota Vikings
2014 - Anquan Boldin, San Francisco 49ers
2013 - Charlie Batch, Pittsburgh Steelers
FULL WINNER LIST
BYRON WHIZZER WHITE
THE STORY OF WHIZZER
Half Supreme Court associate justice, half NFL halfback, Byron Raymond White always used his powers for good.
After graduating as his high school's valedictorian, White became student body president and starting halfback for the University of Colorado, where he was gifted with his famous nickname by a newspaper columnist. From this point on, he would be known as Byron “Whizzer” White, a nod to his remarkable speed on the field. Awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to the University of Oxford, Whizzer deferred and began his journey as an NFL halfback, where he led the league in rushing and was the highest-paid player as a 21-year-old rookie in 1938. He continued his NFL career, half Yale Law student and half Detroit Lion for three years.
Even though he was one of the first “big money” players, Whizzer joined the U.S. Navy in 1942, where he wrote intelligence reports for future President John F. Kennedy. Discharged as a lieutenant commander with two Bronze Star medals, Whizzer practiced law for 15 years before his Supreme Court appointment in 1962. As half-man, half-amazing, Byron “Whizzer” White always fought for what was right, and always gave 100 percent of himself to his craft, his community and justice.
PARTNERS
YOUR SIDEKICKS
The Robin to your Batman. The Pumbaa to your Timon. You couldn't do the great work you do in your community without a supporting cast. These are your presenting partners.
RULES & CONDITIONS
NFLPA Community MVPs will be selected by a committee of NFLPA staff. Community MVPs will be announced on Friday of each week. The NFLPA will make a $10,000 donation to the player’s foundation or charity of choice and provide two Delta Private Jets roundtrip plane tickets to the player for being named the NFLPA Community MVP. Each week’s runner-ups will be recognized by name and with a photo and description of their charity work on the following Monday in a social media post as part of a related campaign called #CommunityMVP Mondays. Once a player has been named Community MVP, he is not eligible to win again during the same season.Players will vary by positions and by NFL teams.
Players must meet the following criteria to be considered for Community MVP: Player must be a dues-paying member of the NFLPA and either currently on a team or actively seeking employment. Charitable/community initiative is organized and led by an individual player and/or his foundation (not an NFL team or sponsor-led initiative). Player should be active with a specific cause or through his foundation. The community/charitable initiative should have taken place within the one-week period (Thursday of the preceding week to Wednesday of the current week) before the Community MVP is announced. Player should have participated in recent community work or held other recent events. From the pool of weekly Community MVPs, a distinguished panel of judges will choose five finalists for the BWW Award, each of whom will receive an additional $10,000. From those five finalists, the active player membership will vote for the BWW Award winner, who will receive $100,000 for his foundation or charity of choice.
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