Atlanta Falcons offensive lineman Ben Garland was named the Falcons’ Walter Payton Man of the Year and a nominee for the national award.
One of the League’s most prestigious awards, the honor recognizes an NFL player for their outstanding service and excellence on and off the field.
Garland, a graduate of the Air Force Academy, has been visibly involved in the Falcons military outreach and dedicates personal time to honoring veterans, service members and their families for their service.
In his three seasons with the Falcons, Ben has participated in over 60 team community outreach events.
"Ben Garland represents our core values and everything that we stand for as an organization” Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank said in a statement. “He is a humble leader both on and off the field and has dedicated his life to bettering the lives of others – not only as an active member of our military, but also making it a priority to give back to veterans and their families.
“There is no one more deserving of this award than Ben Garland and it is my honor to recognize him as our Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year."
The award, named after former Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton, will be presented on Feb. 3 at the annual NFL Honors in Minneapolis, Minn. at 8 p.m. ET. The three finalists for the award will be announced in January 2018.
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