Miami Dolphins linebacker Bradley Chubb nominated for 2025 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award

Miami Dolphins linebacker Bradley Chubb has been nominated for the 2025 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award for his work on and off the gridiron, the team announced Thursday.

The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award is the league’s most prestigious honor, “recognizing players who excel on the field and demonstrate a commitment to making a positive impact beyond the game,” the Dolphins said. This year marks Chubb’s first career selection as his team’s nominee.

“Bradley Chubb embodies everything that Walter Payton and this award stand for – greatness on and off the field and leaving a legacy far greater than oneself,” said Dolphins Head Coach Mike McDaniel. “Bradley is a talented player and an exemplary teammate, but most importantly, he is a selfless leader. He understands the weight of his platform, and no matter if he is lifting up young players around him in the locker room or young people he interacts with in the community, he is focused on making those around him better. That takes a special person, someone who leads with humility and service, and it is why he is so deserving of this award.”

A pro athlete focused on serving others

Before he played a snap in the NFL, Chubb’s focus on serving others was “paramount,” the Dolphins said.

In 2017, Chubb and his brother Brandon established the Chubb Foundation, with the mission to “activate human potential” through pillars of youth mentorship, financial literacy, entrepreneurship and physical education, the team said.

“Through the Chubb Foundation, as well as alignment with team and partner initiatives, Chubb seeks to connect mentorship, exposure and opportunity to provide new possibilities for young people and help them reach their full potential,” the team continued.

Through Chubb’s efforts, his foundation now spans across Georgia, Florida and North Carolina — all places the Miami player has called home throughout his upbringing and football career. According to the Dolphins, the Chubb Foundation has supported more than 5,100 youth and their families since its inception.

Chubb has also established impactful partnerships with Boys & Girls Clubs and other youth organizations in all the regions where he serves. According to the Dolphins, he implemented several different programs, including:

Hosting multiple visits with youth through the Chubb Club Tour, where he spends time visiting with the kids, encouraging them and sharing life lessons in line with the pillars of his foundation. Establishing his “Moving the Needle” initiative: A four-week financial literacy program designed to empower youth with hands-on money management lessons in saving, budgeting and investing. By implementing the program at the Boys & Girls Club of Broward County, Chubb seeks to “create a lasting impact on the teens through principles of financial wellness and building generational wealth,” the Dolphins said.Building on his “Moving the Needle: Effecting Change Through Entrepreneurship” campaign, a 10-week curriculum which was implemented in after-school, summer and weekend programs that challenge students to develop business ideas geared toward positive community impact. The team said the curriculum centers on fundamentals of business planning and effective marketing strategies, culminating in a “Pitch Night” event, where students present their business concepts to a panel of judges in the presence and support of their friends and families. Partnering with a club in his hometown of Atlanta, the A.W. Matthews Boys & Girls Club, to launch the “Name of the Game: Chess in Real Life” program, which aims to teach intangible and strategic life skills through the game of chess. Led by a chess master, the lessons focus on tenets of work ethic, perseverance, critical thinking and patience. When the Dolphins traveled to Atlanta to play the Falcons in October 2025, the Chubb Foundation also hosted 20 youth and mentors from the club for a special game day experience, the team added. Hosting a back-to-school bash and backpack giveaway at the Lester H. White Boys & Girls Club of Broward County, to help every child feel prepared, confident and seen. He also provided haircuts by a local barber on site, led games and activities and provided opportunities for the youth to engage with local law enforcement.

“Every time I walk into a Boys & Girls Club or talk to a group of kids, I see myself at their age — full of potential. That’s what this work is about-impacting young people to activate their potential,” Chubb said. “The Chubb Foundation is more than programs or events. It’s about people, purpose, and planting seeds of belief that will grow for generations.”

Aside from these programs, Chubb also hosts an annual free youth football camp in his hometown of Atlanta, as well as Raleigh, North Carolina, where he played collegiately at N.C. State. He also partners with his team’s Junior Dolphins program, which also hosts camps and further local youth football and physical education initiatives.

Outside of the work he does through his foundation and other programs, Chubb also pours himself into many other team opportunities to engage with the South Florida community, the Dolphins said.

“Both in and out of football season, he consistently spends time visiting local children’s hospitals, schools and community organizations,” the team said. “In times of need, he is the first player to raise his hand and volunteer his time and resources.”

Most recently, Chub provided holiday meals and gifts to Football Unites partners and aligned with a team disaster relief initiative to collect supplies for those affected by Hurricane Melissa.

Chubb’s crushing career stats

A two-time Pro Bowler and the winner of the 2023 Nat Moore Community Service Award, Chubb exemplifies leadership and excellence on and off the field, the Dolphins said.

After entering the NFL as a first-round draft pick by the Denver Broncos in 2018, Chubb made an immediate impact, earning a selection to the 2018 PFWA All-Rookie team. He was then traded to the Dolphins in 2022 and totaled 8 sacks during his first season with Miami, earning him his second career Pro Bowl selection.

Because of his contributions, the Dolphins finished 10th in total defense in 2023, the first top-10 finish the team received since 2010. The Dolphins’ defense also set a franchise record for sacks in a season with 56 that year, with Chubb totalling 11 of those sacks.

Chubb is also tied for the NFL lead for most forced fumbles with six. He earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors following his Week 15 performance in the 2023 season and was ranked No. 62 on the NFL Top 100 list of 2024.

After missing the 2024 season due to injury, Chubb returned strong in 2025, recording a sack in the first three weeks of the season, becoming the first Dolphin since 2000 to record a sack in that period of time. He currently leads the team with six sacks through Week 13 and is one of seven players in the league with at least 30 tackles, six sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery, the Dolphins said.

How you can help Chubb and the Dolphins win

All 32 teams’ nominees will be recognized for their achievements during the week leading up to Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The national winner of the 2025 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide will be announced during NFL Honors, a primetime awards special set to air on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026.

Like Chubb, each team’s nominee supports a wide range of causes and initiatives off the gridiron. The charitable beneficiary of each team’s nominee will receive up to $55,000, while the nonprofit of the award winner will receive up to $265,000. All funds are donations courtesy of the NFL Foundation and the Nationwide Foundation.

Football fans are once again encouraged to participate in Nationwide’s Charity Challenge, a social media and online contest that allows fans to show support for their favorite nominee. Fans can vote on X by posting #WPMOYChallenge along with the last name or X handle of their chosen player or by voting directly on NFL.com/ManOfTheYear.

The charitable beneficiary of the player who receives the most collective hashtag mentions and online votes will win an additional $35,000 donation from Nationwide, while the runner-up and third-place finishers will receive an additional $10,000 and $5,000 donation, respectively. Voting takes place from Dec. 4 through Jan. 5, 2026.

Beginning Week 14 and through the end of the season, Chubb and the other team nominees will wear a special Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal in recognition of their accomplishments on and off the field.