Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Arik Armstead, known for his Armstead Academic Project which helps support early childhood education, was named the Walter Payton Man of the Year on Thursday night.
Armstead, who has been open about how his struggles with reading as a child made him feel self-conscious, frequently visits schools to read to children. His goal is to make sure young students, regardless of their background, have the resources they need to succeed in education.
“This is a huge honor,” Armstead said. “It’s a huge sense of responsibility that I feel to carry this forward and continue to serve — and serve more people.”
Armstead expressed gratitude to his parents for “instilling a serving spirit into me at a young age.”
“Your guidance is the biggest reason why I’m where I’m at in my life right now,” he said. “I hope I make you proud.”
Armstead ended his speech with a message to the audience at the Saenger Theater and those watching on television.
“We live in a world that is constantly trying to divide us,” Armstead said. “But I believe in humanity. I believe that we are all more alike than we are different and I believe that all of us have the power to be the change we want to see in our society.
“I just encourage you to try to be a blessing in someone else’s life and see how that changes your life,” he added.
