The Minnesota Vikings announced running back C.J. Ham has been selected as the team’s nominee for the 2024 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. Considered the league’s most prestigious honor, the award presented by Nationwide recognizes NFL players who have not only exhibited excellence on the field but also whose steadfast commitment and passion to impact lives extends beyond the game and has led them to leave positive legacies in their communities.
All 32 nominees will be recognized for their achievements during the week leading up to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. The winner of the 2024 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award will be announced during NFL Honors, a primetime awards special to air nationally on FOX and NFL Network on Thursday, Feb. 6.
Ham’s passion and commitment to community efforts has led him to establish many meaningful connections with a variety of causes and organizations since joining the league in 2016. In 2022, C.J. along with his wife, Stephanie, launched the Ham Scholarship Fund near Ham’s hometown in Duluth, MN to encourage and support diverse students pursing high education while also aiming to improve BIPOC retention and graduation rates through financial support. The fund, presented by Essentia Health and the NFL Foundation, grows through continued donations from the family and community.
“C.J. and Stephanie Ham serve as a source of inspiration inside the Vikings organization and in the broader Minnesota community,” said Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf. “C.J. is an exceptional example for his teammates, teaching and encouraging those around him to extend their support to make a difference in our community. The long-lasting relationships he has established with local organizations is proof of C.J.’s passion and commitment. We’re proud of the positive impact he continues to make and honored to nominate him for an award of this magnitude.”
Growing up, Ham spent time before and after school at the Boys and Girls Club with his parents working long hours to provide for his family. Ham has expressed significant gratitude for the mentorship and guidance he received from Boys and Girls Club staff members and in return has focused his support and contributions back to the organization. He’s participated in Thanksgiving meal distributions, scholarship funding for club members, and holiday gifting events at Boys and Girls Club locations across the Twin Cities. On Tuesday, December 10, in honor of Ham’s nomination, the Minnesota Vikings along with C.J. and Stephanie, will host the Southside Boys and Girl Club at Twin Cities Orthopedic Performance Center.
“He truly is Minnesota’s favorite, and rightly so – and he doesn’t take that for granted, either. He loves the Twin Cities,” said Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell. “Him having such a dynamic impact on our community, and his kids and his family being right there with him, I think they’re great representatives of what we want our organization to be as a whole. I think that’s why it’s perfect that he’s our nominee.”
Ham has integrated himself in causes deeply important to him. After his mom, Tina, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2020, Ham increased his involvement with the American Cancer Society and sought ways to impact families facing similar challenges. When Tina passed away in 2021 after a valiant fight, living months past doctors’ initial projections, C.J. and Stephanie started Pamper Her Purple, an annual event focused entirely on uplifting women who have battled or are currently battling cancer. During Crucial Catch month this year, C.J. and Stephanie hosted 15 women for their fourth annual Pamper Her Purple event, treating them to a day of pampering followed by dinner at the Viking Lakes Omni Hotel.
Ham’s commitment to community involvement remains consistent through the football season when he frequently participates in more than one event or initiative each Tuesday. In 2024 Ham has visited Children’s Minnesota, leading running backs in a “reverse trick-or-treat” event and donating “grief bags” containing a stuffed animal and books about grief to a Twin Cities elementary school for students experiencing a significant loss. In October, Ham participated in the Vikings Crucial Catch Youth Football Clinic where he led kids ages 6-18 who have been impacted by cancer personally, or have siblings, friends, or parents who currently have or have previously had cancer, through football drills at TCO Stadium.
Ham’s involvement does not end with Community Tuesdays. During the offseason, Ham volunteers with faith-based entities, leading a small group of high school men at his church. Ham joined U.S. Military veterans and twice joined Minneapolis high school students on the “Project Success” trip to Washington, D.C., where he toured the National Museum of African American History and Culture. For years, C.J. has hosted a youth football camp in his hometown, donating proceeds of the camp to a charity of his family’s choosing. Following George Floyd’s death, Ham decided to dedicate all future camp profits to academic scholarships for Duluth students of color. Ham has spoken to multiple youth football teams and last spring hosted the 2024 UNRL Celebrity Softball Game, benefiting the Thielen Foundation and the Ham Family Scholarship Fund.
As a nominee, Ham will wear a special Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal beginning week 14 and continuing through the end of the season in recognition of his accomplishments on and off the field. All nominees will receive up to $55,000 and the award winner will receive up to a $265,000 donation to their charity of choice. All donations are made possible by the NFL Foundation and Nationwide Foundation.
Fans are once again encouraged to participate in Nationwide’s annual Charity Challenge, a social media and online contest that allows fans to show support for their favorite Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year nominee. Fans can vote on X/Twitter by posting #WPMOYChallenge along with the last name/X handle of their chosen nominee or by voting directly on NFL.com/ManOfTheYear. The nominee who receives the most collective hashtag mentions and online votes will win an additional $35,000 donation from Nationwide to the charity of their choice, with the runner-up receiving $10,000 and the third-place winner receiving $5,000. Charity Challenge voting takes place from Thursday, Dec. 5 to Sunday, Jan. 6.
For more information about the award, please visit NFL.com/ManOfTheYear.
(info courtesy of Vikings)
(Images Courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings)
