ss Travis Kelce wins fan-voted Walter Payton Man of the Year Charity Challenge for a third time
Travis Kelce is bringing home yet another donation for a Kansas City nonprofit. The Kansas City Chiefs star was selected earlier this year as the Chiefs’ Walter Payton Man of the Year Award winner. With that distinction, he is up for a chance to win the national Walter Payton award. He is nominated alongside a representative from each NFL team. Each nominee also competes in the social media Charity Challenge hosted by Nationwide. This competition allows fans to vote and interact with their favorite nominee to help them earn money for a local charity.
For the third time, Kelce came out on top, Nationwide announced. That means the Operation Breakthrough Ignition Lab in Kansas City will receive $35,000. “It’s Chiefs Kingdom, baby,” Kelce said on the “New Heights podcast” after he and his brother Jason announced his win. “Shoutout to everyone over at OB. You guys know how much I love you and how much you guys mean to me. And it just means everything that the 92%ers and Chiefs Kingdom help support that. It’s all to make these kids right here happy and proud of where they come from.” Both of the Kelce brothers thanked the fans who voted, praising Operation Breakthrough for everything it does for kids in Kansas City. Kelce is the only player to win the Charity Challenge every time he was selected as his team’s Man of the Year representative, and his win marks the fifth time out of six years that a Chiefs player has won.
Travis Kelce — 2020-21Tyrann Mathieu — 2021-22Patrick Mahomes — 2022-23Travis Kelce — 2024-25Travis Kelce — 2025-26Dion Dawkins with the Buffalo Bills came in second for the second year in a row. Jordan Mailata with the Philadelphia Eagles finished third. They received $10,000 and $5,000, respectively, for their charities, courtesy of Nationwide. The winner of the national Walter Payton Man of the Year Award will be announced during NFL Honors leading up to the Super Bowl.
Travis Kelce is bringing home yet another donation for a Kansas City nonprofit.
The Kansas City Chiefs star was selected earlier this year as the Chiefs’ Walter Payton Man of the Year Award winner. With that distinction, he is up for a chance to win the national Walter Payton award. He is nominated alongside a representative from each NFL team.
Each nominee also competes in the social media Charity Challenge hosted by Nationwide. This competition allows fans to vote and interact with their favorite nominee to help them earn money for a local charity.
For the third time, Kelce came out on top, Nationwide announced. That means the Operation Breakthrough Ignition Lab in Kansas City will receive $35,000.
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Travis Kelce is the first-ever three-time winner of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Charity Challenge presented by @Nationwide!
This honor adds a $35k donation to Trav’s charity of choice, Operation Breakthrough. Thank you Chiefs Kingdom, and congrats @tkelce ❤️ pic.twitter.com/6qpbkT7X8F
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 7, 2026
“It’s Chiefs Kingdom, baby,” Kelce said on the “New Heights podcast” after he and his brother Jason announced his win. “Shoutout to everyone over at OB. You guys know how much I love you and how much you guys mean to me. And it just means everything that the 92%ers and Chiefs Kingdom help support that. It’s all to make these kids right here happy and proud of where they come from.”
Both of the Kelce brothers thanked the fans who voted, praising Operation Breakthrough for everything it does for kids in Kansas City.
Kelce is the only player to win the Charity Challenge every time he was selected as his team’s Man of the Year representative, and his win marks the fifth time out of six years that a Chiefs player has won.
- Travis Kelce — 2020-21
- Tyrann Mathieu — 2021-22
- Patrick Mahomes — 2022-23
- Travis Kelce — 2024-25
- Travis Kelce — 2025-26
Dion Dawkins with the Buffalo Bills came in second for the second year in a row. Jordan Mailata with the Philadelphia Eagles finished third. They received $10,000 and $5,000, respectively, for their charities, courtesy of Nationwide.
The winner of the national Walter Payton Man of the Year Award will be announced during NFL Honors leading up to the Super Bowl.
