Chad Greenway could be headed to the Super Bowl.
Earlier this week, the Mount Vernon native was named nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, which will be presented at Super Bowl XLIX at the NFL Honors show on Jan. 31.
All 32 NFL teams selected one player for the nomination, and three finalists will be announced next month. The Walter Payton Man of the Year Award recognizes players who represent the NFL's commitment to philanthropy and community impact.
This is the second time Greenway has been nominated for this award, and we couldn't think of a better player to be nominated. He's very worthy of this honor.
We're proud of all the things Greenway has accomplished on the field in nine seasons in professional football. He's one of our own, and he's had a tremendous amount of success in the league.
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But it's what Greenway has done off the field each year that makes him such a great representative of South Dakota.
Since he was drafted in the league in 2006, Greenway has volunteered his time with several organizations including Memorial Blood Centers, Sanford Health, University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital, Fuel Up to Play 60, The Salvation Army, Taste of the NFL, United Way and Make-A-Wish Foundation of Minnesota.
In 2009, he and his wife, Jenni, established the Lead The Way Foundation to provide seriously ill and physically challenged children with daily support and life-changing experiences. Since it began, the foundation has raised more than $1.3 million.
As the Vikings' representative for the NFL Man of the Year award, Greenway is receiving a $1,000 check for the Lead the Way Foundation.
Greenway has also come back to South Dakota nearly each summer since coming into the league to host his own dual-sports camp, and spends hours each day getting kids involved with athletics. Then, he spends even more time signing autographs.
Earlier this week, he was named one of eight finalists for the inaugural NFL Sportsmanship Award, which will also be given out during this year's Super Bowl.
With so many off-the-field issues going on in the NFL in the past year, we're happy to have Greenway symbolize South Dakota's strong value of helping others.
This nomination for Greenway is truly deserving, and it proves he knows how a true role model should act.
