Jacksonville Jaguars punter Logan Cooke hasn’t been content with service to others on the First Coast or in his home state of Mississippi. 

He and his wife, Mary, have made an impact on a global scale. 

In recognition of their efforts through the Logan Cooke Foundation, Cooke is the team’s nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. 

All 32 NFL players nominated will be recognized for their achievements during the week leading up to Super Bowl LX. The 2025 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year winner will be announced during NFL Honors, aired nationally on FOX and the NFL Network on Feb. 5, 2026.  

Jaguars defensive tackle Arik Armstead was the NFL Man of the Year last season. Defensive end Calais Campbell earned the honor when he was with the Jaguars in 2019. 

Each team nominee will receive up to $40,000 for the charity of his choice, and the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award winner will receive $250,000. All donations are made possible by the NFL Foundation and Nationwide. 

Bringing clean water to Africa

Cooke and his wife founded their foundation in 2021. Since he was drafted in 2018, he has participated in charitable events and initiatives such as the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund, Wolfson Children’s Hospital and through the Jaguars Foundation, military and children’s charities such as Make-A-Wish, the Ronald McDonald House and Literacy Locker Rooms. 

But Cooke’s impact has been felt halfway around the world. In partnership with Zoe Ministries, his foundation has tried to make a dent in the global water crisis, raising money for more than 200,000 people in Kenya to have access to clean water. 

Cooke and Walter Payton are from the same hometown, in Columbia, Miss. 

“I am incredibly honored to be nominated for Walter Payton Man of the Year,” Cooke said in a statement. “Walter Payton and I are from the same hometown, so this is very special to me. Being a Jacksonville Jaguar means so much more than just performing on the field. To be considered for such a prestigious award would not be possible without the unwavering support from my wife, Mary Menger, my family, my teammates and the Jaguars organization. Our goal is to leave an impact on Jacksonville that will last for years to come.” 

Cooke is NFL career leader in net punting

Cooke is a two-time All-Pro player and the senior Jaguars player in terms of most years with the team. He leads the NFL in career net punting average with 43.3 yards per attempt and has put 91 punts inside the 10-yard line. 

Cooke will wear a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal through the end of the season, beginning this week when the Jaguars host the Indianapolis Colts. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars announced today @LoganCooke2 as its club winner for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, presented by Nationwide. #WPMOYChallenge#ProBowlVotepic.twitter.com/MVg47YajcX

— JaguarsPR (@JaguarsPR) December 4, 2025

Jaguars fans can participate in the Nationwide Charity Challenge, a social media and online contest that allows fans to show support for their favorite Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year club winner. Fans can vote on X by posting #WPMOYChallenge along with the name/X handle of their chosen club winner or by voting directly on NFL.com/ManOfTheYear. 

The player who receives the most collective hashtag mentions and online votes will win an additional $35,000 donation from Nationwide to the charity of their choice, with the runner-up receiving $10,000 and the third-place winner receiving $5,000. Charity Challenge voting takes place from Dec. 4, 2025 to Jan. 5, 2026.  

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars punter Logan Cooke nominated for Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year