NEW ORLEANS (NEXSTAR) — Arik Armstead, a defensive lineman for the Jacksonville Jaguars, has been awarded the 2024 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.

Armstead took home the honor on Thursday night at the NFL Honors ceremony held at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans. The Man of the Year Award recognizes an NFL player’s excellence on and off the field, celebrating those who have made positive impacts in their communities.

“No act is too big and no act is too small, but I just encourage you to try to be a blessing in someone else’s life and see how that changes your life,” Armstead said during his acceptance speech. “Let’s define success by a new metric: not by the things that we acquire, but by how many people we positively impact.”

Armstead is the second player from the Jaguars to receive this honor, following in the footsteps of Calais Campbell, who won the award in 2019. The video at the top of this story is an interview Armstead did last year, as a nominee with the San Francisco 49ers.

Armstead and his wife, Melinda, lead the Armstead Academic Project, an organization dedicated to providing students of all backgrounds with the resources they need to thrive.

“To the Payton family, it’s been tremendous to get to meet you throughout these years. I think the true testament to Walter’s character is seeing his spirit live through you even to this day,” Armstead added.

Armstead’s commitment to community service and his efforts to ensure educational opportunities for all students are a big reason he was a nominee for five straight seasons.

And finally, a well-deserved win.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.