Minnesota Vikings Nominate Adam Thielen For Walter Payton NFL Man Of The Year

Tuesday was a big day for Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen as he received two doses of great news, both of which were very well deserved.

The Minnesota Vikings announced Thielen is their 2022 Minnesota Vikings Man of the Year and they have officially nominated him for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year.

According to the Vikings, in 2018 Adam and his wife Caitlin founded the Thielen Foundation, which as since donated more than $2.5 million to community organizations, including a pledge this fall of $1 million to be shared among the following eight Minnesota nonprofit organizations:

• V3 Sports — Promotes health, wellness, equity and opportunity through fitness and water safety
• Nexus-Gerard Family Healing — Part of a national nonprofit network of mental health agencies with more than 50 years of restoring hope for thousands of children and families through mental health services
• Children's Minnesota Hospital — Supports children's health through care, research and education
• Urban Ventures — Reduces opportunity gaps in academics, nutrition and other resources
• Second Harvest Heartland/Minnesota Central Kitchen — Reduces food insecurity
• The Salvation Army, Twin Cities — A faith-based, comprehensive approach to meeting human needs
• Masonic Children's Hospital — Thielen Foundation directly supports the hospital's behavioral health unit
• Northside Achievement Zone — Strives to end generational poverty and build a culture of achievement in North Minneapolis

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Adam Thielen's list of admirers is long, including Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf who says Thielen is truly an inspiration, adding:

"We are proud of Adam for the impact he has made on the community, and he is the best representation of what the Minnesota Vikings should stand for. We cannot thank him enough for his commitment to the organization, to the Twin Cities and to the entire state of Minnesota. He's extremely deserving to be our 2022 nominee for this impressive honor."

Adam Thielen has grown into one of the greatest undrafted receivers in NFL history, which already made it easy to root for him. However, the fact that he has never stopped giving back to the community makes him a true hometown hero.

As the Vikings enter week 14 of the 2022 season, Adam Thielen currently has 520 career receptions (third in Vikings history), 6,546 receiving yards (fourth) and 52 touchdown catches (tied for third).

The Vikings will travel to Detroit Sunday to take a hot Lions team that seem to have found their stride. Kickoff is at noon from Ford Field.

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