Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner was named the 2025 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, one of the league’s highest honors recognizing excellence on and off the field. But during his acceptance speech, Wagner shifted the spotlight away from himself and onto the family members who made his journey possible, especially his late mother.
“I really didn’t think I was going to win this award,” Wagner admitted as he opened his remarks. “I almost didn’t even come… I’m glad I did.”
Before turning to his mother, Wagner made a point to acknowledge someone he said is often overlooked: his father.
"She's the reason why I'm standing up here. She's the person who had confidence in me when I didn't even have confidence in myself."
— NFL (@NFL) February 6, 2026
An emotional speech in honor of his mom from Bobby Wagner after being named Walter Payton Man of the Year 👏 pic.twitter.com/L0LRnkYkj0
When his mother passed, Wagner explained, much of the attention focused on how he was coping. But his father was right there, quietly holding things together. “He was kind of the silent person in my corner,” Wagner said. “That doesn’t get the love that he always deserves.”
Now a father himself, Wagner reflected on how parenthood reshaped his understanding of sacrifice. “I didn’t realize how hard it was to be a father until I got two kids of my own,” he said. “It made me appreciate the job that he did.”
“You all have seen the picture, man. I cannot be up here and not talk about my mom,” Wagner said. “She is, and will ever be, my rock.” He described her as the first person who truly believed in him, even when he didn’t believe in himself.
That belief showed up in a pivotal moment early in his life. Wagner shared a story about the only job he ever held before the NFL, one that lasted just a month before he was fired. When he told his mother he was working to help support the family, her response changed everything.
“She told me, ‘Nah. I really feel like you can make it to the league, and I want you to focus on that,’” he recalled. “And she said, ‘I got you.’”
Those three words became a guiding principle for Wagner’s life. “Every time I try to help somebody, every time I see somebody in need, I say, ‘I got you,’” he said, looking out across the room filled with fellow players, executives, and community leaders.
In a world he described as increasingly chaotic, Wagner framed the award not as a personal achievement, but as a reminder of collective responsibility. “There’s so much this room can accomplish,” he said. “We can be the people that say to the world, ‘I got you.’”
Wagner closed his speech by making it clear that his success, his service, and even this moment belonged to his mother.
“Me standing here is my mom in current flesh,” he said. “She’s not able to be here, but she lives through me. Everything I do is for her, and I honor her every chance that I get.”
As he accepted the Walter Payton Man of the Year award, Wagner reminded everyone watching that legacy isn’t just built through accolades or statistics, it’s built through belief, love, and the quiet words that push someone forward when they need it most.
“I wouldn’t be here without her,” he said. “So when you thank me, you’re really thanking her.”
