The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award is one of the league’s most prestigious honors, celebrating players for their excellence on and off the field, particularly in philanthropy. However, a recent USA Today investigation has exposed a troubling pattern of financial mismanagement among the charitable foundations established by past award winners. The latest case? Pittsburgh Steelers’ Cameron Heyward, whose foundation had its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status revoked in 2022 for failing to file tax returns for three consecutive years.
The article underscores a widespread issue: NFL players, often well-intentioned but underprepared, are starting foundations without the proper oversight, leading to financial mismanagement, compliance failures, and, in some cases, missing funds.
Andrew Morton, a partner at Handler Law LLP and chair of the firm’s sports and entertainment philanthropy group, called out the NFL’s role in this issue:
“Every broadcast and press release trumpets the players’ foundations as representing their service to the community, so either the league needs to engage in some minimal effort validating legal compliance, or stop touting these nonprofits as a basis for the award. Trying to have it both ways is an insult to the spirit of the award, along with the nominees and other players who are committed to responsible charitable impact.”
This statement gets to the heart of the problem. If the NFL is going to use charitable work as a major criterion for this award, then it bears some responsibility in ensuring that these nonprofits are legally compliant and effective in their missions. Otherwise, it risks rewarding negligence and undermining the integrity of sports philanthropy.
The issue isn’t just about individual players or isolated cases—it’s a systemic problem that calls for structural changes, including proper education for athletes on nonprofit management and legal compliance.
For a deeper dive into the full investigation and the implications for sports philanthropy, read the full USA Today article here.