Julian Love Named Seattle Seahawks Club Winner for Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award Presented by Nationwide

National Award Winner Announced at NFL Honors on Thursday, Feb. 5 Before Super Bowl LX

Dec 04, 2025 at 06:30 AM

RENTON, Wash. Today, the Seattle Seahawks announced Safety Julian Love has been selected as the club's winner for the 2025 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide. The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide 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. Each of the league's 32 nominees were announced today.

Signed by Seattle as an unrestricted free agent in 2023, Love set career-highs with four interceptions, two interceptions in a single-game, 10 passes defensed, and a team-leading 13 special teams tackles (T2nd NFL). He finished the year ranking third on the team in tackles (110), named NFC Defensive Player of the Week 15, and selected to the NFC roster for the Pro Bowl Games. Love is one of two defensive backs (Kevin Byard) in the NFL with 100 tackles in each of the last three seasons (2022-24). Earlier this season, he became the first Seahawks player since 2000 to record 10 tackles, 1.0 sack, and a blocked field goal in a single game (vs. San Francisco, 9/7). 

Off the field, Love has consistently demonstrated a commitment to serving underserved communities through a wide range of impactful initiatives. He has sponsored tuition-based scholarships for students at his alma mater, Nazareth Academy. He's donated $25,000 to supply essentials, clothing, and appliances for children in need at Boys and Girls Clubs, distributed coats and winter essentials to over 300 children at the Seattle YMCA, and provided a Thanksgiving meal for 150 youth in Bellevue.

Last year, his annual Julian Love Youth Football Camp welcomed over 400 participants free of charge, and included more than $40,000 in gear and resource donations. He's partnered with Dick's Sporting Goods to host a back-to-school shopping event for underserved youth. In collaboration with Safeway, Love contributed $400,000 to provide SNAP benefits to Washington families, and supports Every Mom Chicago, a nonprofit supporting expectant mothers in underserved communities. 

Love is also a Legacy Board Member of Weish4ever, a non-profit organization dedicated to uplifting adolescents and young adults battling cancer. Additionally, Love has supported the Seahawks' Red Cross Blood Drive in partnership with Delta Air Lines for the past two years, further showcasing his dedication to community service and health advocacy. 

All 32 club winners will be recognized for their achievements during the week leading up to Super Bowl LX in the Bay Area. 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 airing on Thursday, Feb. 5.

Each of this year's club winners supports a range of causes and initiatives off the field, including uplifting underserved communities, empowering young people to lead healthy lifestyles and many other notable causes. The charitable beneficiary of each team's club winner will receive $40,000, and the nonprofit chosen by the overall national winner will receive $250,000. All funds are donations courtesy of the NFL Foundation and the 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 club winner. Fans can vote on X/Twitter by posting #WPMOYChallenge along with the last name/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, with the nonprofit partners of the runner-up and third-place finishers receiving $10,000 and $5,000, respectively. Charity Challenge voting takes place from December 4 through January 5, 2026.

Beginning Week 14 and continuing through the end of the season, each of this year's club winners, including Love, will wear a special Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal in recognition of their accomplishments on and off the field.

For more information about the award, please visit NFL.com/ManOfTheYear.

PHOTOS: Julian Love & Seahawks Dancers Spread Holiday Cheer At Virginia Mason

Seahawks Safety Julian Love and the Seahawks Dancers brought holiday spirit to Virginia Mason Medical Center's Critical Care Unit, visiting heart surgery patients and sharing encouragement during recovery. Their visit is part of our ongoing commitment to Defend the Heart and promote heart health throughout the region.