Chuck Clark Is Ravens Nominee for Walter Payton Award

A devoted husband and father of two, Clark has always been an advocate for youth sports.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Safety Chuck Clark is the Ravens' nominee for this year's Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award. 

Considered one of the league's most prestigious honors, the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide recognizes an NFL player for outstanding community service activities off the field, as well as excellence on the field. 

Each of the league’s 32 nominees was announced this week.

A devoted husband and father of two, Clark has always been an advocate for youth sports – in particular, youth football. He regularly attends local high school football games and participates in the Ravens All-Abilities PLAY 60 Clinic with Special Olympics Maryland. 

In spring 2022, Clark was invited to The White House for its annual Easter Egg Roll and to promote health and wellness to children at the event.

Earlier this year, the Ravens pledged a commitment of $250,000 over five years to support the launch of Girls Flag Football in Maryland. In March 2022, Clark helped celebrate the official launch of the league by attending Frederick County’s Flag Football Opening Day. He supported the establishment of their new interscholastic sport by taking the time to discuss his love of football with female student-athletes. 

Additionally, as an avid supporter of high school football, Clark visited Calvert Hall for the kickoff of the Ravens RISE High School Football Showdown where he gave the players a pre-game speech, helped coach during the game, provided play-by-play analysis in the radio booth, and cheered alongside students and fans.

In January 2022, Baltimore City firefighters were called to a two-alarm blaze in a vacant three-story rowhome when it partially collapsed trapping four firefighters inside. 

Three of the four ended up tragically losing their lives, with the fourth surviving after hospitalization. As a way to show gratitude and remember those first responders who lost their lives in efforts to protect others, Clark joined the Ravens this past March in recognizing 38 fire stations in Baltimore with custom jerseys and meals. He also met with the colleagues of the fallen firefighters to pay his respects and show solidarity.

To expand his community outreach efforts, Clark established the 36 & Co. Community Outreach, a fiscally-sponsored project of the Players Philanthropy Fund, which aims to impact and serve those in need and inspire the lives of young people. 

Through his fund, Clark annually hosts back-to-school distributions in his hometown of Suffolk, VA for students in grades K – 12. Additionally, for Christmas 2021, Clark distributed bikes to 36 Baltimore City high school student-athletes participating in the Next One Up after-school program.

Clark is also a perpetual participant in Ravens’ Community Monday activities. He has shopped with kids during the team’s annual Holiday Helpers event, volunteered through the Ravens’ Caw to Action initiative, and encouraged kids to be active and healthy through the team’s PLAY 60 program and more. 

Additionally, not only does he participate in Ravens’ community-led initiatives, but Clark is also a constant supporter of his teammates’ charitable programs such as holiday food distributions, 5k fundraisers, shopping with children during the holidays, football camps, and more.

As a nominee, Clark will wear a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal through the end of the season in recognition of his accomplishments on and off the field.

All 32 team winners will be highlighted as nominees and recognized for their important work during the weekend leading up to Super Bowl LVII. The 2022 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year will be announced during NFL Honors, a primetime awards special to air the Thursday before Super Bowl LVII, on NBC.

All 32 nominees will receive up to a $40,000 donation in their name to their charity of choice. The winner of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award will receive up to a $250,000 donation to the charity of his choice. All donations are courtesy of the NFL Foundation and Nationwide.