Walter Payton Man of the Year 2014-15: Thomas Davis Wins Coveted Award

Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis was the recipient of the 2015 Walter Payton Man of the Year award.

The NFL made the announcement during Saturday night's NFL Honors:

Peter King of The MMQB felt that Davis was a more-than-deserving winner:

Here's footage of Davis accepting the prestigious award:

Rather than celebrating what a player does on the field, the Walter Payton Man of the Year award is more about a player's contributions off of it.

In Davis' nomination on NFL.com, he's credited for founding the Thomas Davis Defending Dreams Foundation, which is "dedicated to promoting free programs that enhance the quality of life for more than 2,000 children and their families annually." The foundation has given out $500,000 to local residents in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area.

This is the first year that Davis won the Man of the Year award, with the 31-year-old having been nominated on three previous occasions, including in 2013, when he was a finalist.