Thomas Davis' 2015 Walter Payton Man of the Year Speech Truly Changed the Game

Thomas Davis of the Carolina Panthers is not only an incredibly talented football player, but we know that he's now also a major award winner. With the 2015 NFL season officially in the books, the attention will shift to the offseason. Before we do that though, let's take a minute to give praise to a man who truly wants to change the game.

We can talk about the fact that the star linebacker for the Carolina Panthers has topped 100 total tackles in each of the previous three seasons yet has never made a Pro Bowl. After hearing the speech Thomas gave after winning at NFL Honors, I doubt that's what he'd want to talk about though.

Davis does more than play football; he's a molder of men, a game-changer off the field and is truly deserving of the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

If you watched the speech Davis gave after winning the award, there were quite a few things that jumped out. The first thing was how emotional Davis was. This award meant so much to him, and it was apparent through the way he spoke in the video above.

It wasn't just his emotion that stood out, but it was the things he said. The following quote is one that deserves to be pointed out:

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To the guys in this league, I just want to say to you, let's take charge. Dare to be different. We are a village. Let's step up and be a village of guys that make a difference. Let's change this world. We're well compensated for what we do. Let's show these kids how much we care about them. Let's give the media something positive to talk about instead of bashing our league.

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In a day and age where we unfortunately have to read so many negative reports and stories about professional athletes, Davis stands for everything good in the NFL.

As noted by Tyler Dragon of NFL.com, Davis founded the Thomas Davis Defending Dreams Program, which has given $500,000 to local residents of Charlotte, North Carolina. He also provides two college scholarships every year to seniors who have completed the Youth Leadership Academy Program.

On top of this, the talented linebacker offers a free annual football camp for more than 350 children each year, which not only focuses on football, but also on building life skills.

What Davis said in his speech helps us focus on the good of the NFL instead of the constant dark clouds that seem to overshadow the game we love—the domestic violence, the violations of the NFL's drug policy, the bounty scandal in New Orleans and everything else in between. Davis wants to see the NFL change, and the fans want it as well.

The 2015 Walter Payton Man of the Year is proof that good things absolutely happen to good people. Congratulations to Davis for winning the prestigious award and also for giving a speech that caught the attention of so many.