Cincinnati Bengals name Ted Karras NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award nominee

Cincinnati Bengals center Ted Karras is the team's nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award nominee for this season.

Karras, in his second season with the Bengals, began selling the Cincy Hat last year and has raised more than $325,000 for the Village of Merici, which is a non-profit in his hometown of Indianapolis. The Village of Merici is a living community and service provider for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, which Karras has supported since 2016.

The Walter Payton Man of the Year Award honors NFL players who excel on the field and also create a lasting impact in their community.

“I’m truly honored,” Karras said in a press release. “I’m so grateful to be a part of Village of Merici and grateful to everyone in the Cincinnati community. I can’t believe how this project turned into something like this. What a very humbling experience.”

The Walter Payton Man of the Year Award will be presented at the NFL Honors show during the week of the Super Bowl.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Bengals NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee is Ted Karras