Lions C Frank Ragnow was named the Detroit Lions 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year Nominee. Ragnow is known for his love of the outdoors that he cultivated with his father, Jon 'Rags' Ragnow. Following Jon's unexpected passing in 2016, he used the outdoors as an outlet for his grief. Ragnow founded his own nonprofit in 2022, the Rags Remembered Foundation, to help children experiencing loss through outdoor activities.

Ragnow holds a multitude of events throughout the year to aid in his goal of giving children an outlet for their grief. Each year, Ragnow and his Foundation hold a Fishin' for Memories outreach program where families can learn to fish from the three-time Pro Bowler. Each child receives their own fishing pole, supplies, and gear while also having the opportunity to take a private boat tour with Ragnow. During the 2023 season, Ragnow hosted his first-ever Camp Huddle event where 30 campers aged 4-17 spent the afternoon with Ragnow, his wife and teammates. They received the opportunity to fish, learn archery, build fires and enjoy the outdoors. Ragnow also provided resources for the children to meet with the grief team at Angela Hospice to reflect on their losses and remember their loved ones. He hosts game day watch parties for families, providing them with tailgate materials, food, and signed gear. He also hosts charitable dinners called Night of Memories to mobilize funds for the families of southeastern Michigan that Ragnow brings light to in their darkest time.

"I am incredibly grateful to be recognized for one of the most prestigious honors in our League, especially while being on a team filled with so many guys who impact the community in different ways and have supported the Rags Remembered Foundation. My family and I take a lot of pride in this Foundation, and to be able to help grieving families through the outdoors is something that we are very passionate about. This is a huge step in being able to help a lot more kids and families in the future."
- Frank Ragnow

Lions QB Jared Goff was named as the Detroit Lions 2022 Walter Payton Man of the Year Nominee. From Los Angeles to Detroit, Goff's dedication to youth in the cities in which he plays is evident through his service work. In 2022, Goff and his brand, JG16, developed an

annual partnership with non-profit organization, Give Merit's FATE Program. In collaboration with FATE, Goff designs and sells apparel and uses the profits to provide college scholarships to students in Detroit. To aid in engaging curriculum at the Detroit Lions Academy, in 2022, Goff established the JG16 STEAM Lab to help students acquire skills in science, technology, engineering, art, and math by participating in projects that cultivate critical thinking, problem- solving, teamwork, intellectual curiosity, and flexibility. He equipped the classroom with new furniture, work benches, tools, and Lego walls. Goff was able to enhance the STEAM Lab with

$10,000 gifted from the NFLPA after winning the 2021 Week 5 NFLPA Community MVP Award.

"It's an incredible honor and something I'm proud of and don't take for granted. It's important to lend a hand, not only financially but with your energy, and show the community that you're going to be a part of their lives and a part of the solution. It's about the people you're giving back to and it's about wrapping your arms around a community and wrapping your arms around kids and making sure you're there for them, and I'm proud to be able to do it. Being a leader in the community and being a leader on our team and this organization, you want to be able to help, and there's so many places you can in Detroit."
- Jared Goff

FB Jason Cabinda was named as the Detroit Lions 2021 Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee. During his time in Detroit, Cabinda was committed to serving Detroit youth through his efforts with Davison Elementary School. He hosted Back-to-School Book drives, and held weekly virtual reading comprehension lessons during the COVID-19 pandemic to aid in eradicating childhood illiteracy. He had his own award titled the "Jason Cabinda Attendance Award" that rewarded students who recorded 100% attendance during the school year. His programming at Davison Elementary garnered funding from the Ford Motor Co. Fund, Athletes for Charity, and other donors.

"Walter Payton's legacy embodies so many things. He was one of the greatest running backs on the field, and he truly looked out for people that didn't have a voice and gave them a voice. I think within my character, I hope to embody Walter Payton in the sense of wanting to look out for others and wanting to be somebody who gives back and be somebody who remembers their roots and where they came from. When you're in this position, you can have such an impact on these communities. You can have an impact knowing that the person that is standing in front of them is a person that has been in their shoes and has been sitting in their seats."
– Jason Cabinda

DE Trey Flowers was named as the Detroit Lions 2020 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee. During Trey's time in Detroit, his "Flowers of the Future Foundation" made donations and held awareness events with nonprofits both in his hometown of Huntsville, Ala., and Detroit, with plans to expand nationwide. As the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Flowers's philanthropic work pivoted to providing relief for families impacted which included meal distributions and donations for virtual learning initiatives. Notably, Flowers was also vocal in the Detroit Votes initiative, including participating in the Lions Virtual Voter Education and Registration Town Hall with Michigan Secretary of State, Jocelyn Benson and RISE to Vote. He acted as a moderator in a Players Coalition and Michigan Voting Virtual Town Hall.

"Walter Payton was a great person, what he stood for. Legacy lives on forever. It's about the things that you do with the time that you have on this Earth. I just hope that a long time from now, people can remember the impact that I had on their lives and the impact that I had on the community. I hope that my foundation can continue to do great things in the community. I just want to inspire, I want to encourage because I know how important it is. This world, in order to get better we have to inculcate the things that we've experienced and the knowledge that we have on to the youth, which leads them to be even better."
- Trey Flowers