FOXBOROUGH – In January, Jonathan Jones was honored with the Ron Burton Community Service Award. Now the Patriots cornerback has a chance at earning one of the NFL’s most prestigious honors.
Jones is this year’s Patriots nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. The award acknowledges NFL players who excel on the field and demonstrate a passion for creating a lasting positive impact beyond the game in their communities.
While Jones said Tuesday he was too young to remember Payton as a player, he is well aware of Payton’s legacy and impact beyond the gridiron.
“(The award) wasn’t on my radar, but it’s something you aways hear about and you see,” said Jones, who is preparing for Thursday night’s game with the Pittsburgh Steelers. “Just being a fan of the game, a fan of football, just seeing guys year after get nominated. I just continue to do work, and show up. Not just here in Boston, but in Auburn, and my hometown (Long Beach, California), and all the places that mean a lot to me.”
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Jones started the Jonathan Jones Next Step Foundation to positively impact the lives of youth in his New England and Georgia communities through education and mentorship. A champion of woman’s causes, Jones also made history as the first male ambassador for iPlay Like a Girl, an organization supporting women and girls in STEM and sports. In February, he revisited the Auburn Sustenance Project, hosting a community fundraiser and packing means for those in need.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft announced Jones’ nomination to the team. The veteran cornerback, who has been a stalwart of the Patriots defense in a disappointing season, said he was surprised by the news.
“There’s so many guys in this locker room that do so many good things,” he said. “There’s other guys who are deserving as well . . . it’s something you don’t take lightly. There’s so many men before me, not only in this organization, but in the National Football League, that do a lot in their communities, and to be tied to a name like Walter Payton, that’s something (that’s special).”
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