Jon Dorenbos is the Eagles nominee for Walter Payton Man of the Year

Eagles long snapper Jon Dorenbos has been nominated for the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. The award honors a player for “excellence on and off the field.”

Off the field, he is magical. He is – of course – a professional magician, a motivational speaker, an Emmy award winner, and an amateur pilot. But that is just his resume. His heart best describes him and the iron will he has forged to remain optimistic in the face of the unspeakable. His heart drives him to turn his optimism for life into good works each and every day. His heart makes him a true man of (every) year. His heart is at the heart of this nomination. Because Dorenbos' character is on display when he is asked to help and the answer is always yes. He usually does not wait to be asked, he knows it is a privilege to serve.

Dorenbos, long a fan favorite in Philadelphia, rose to national prominence this summer with his appearance on America’s Got Talent, where he wowed judges with his magic tricks and audiences with his heart warming story of overcoming adversity.

As a nominee, Dorenbos will receive $50,000 to a charity of his choice. Three semi-finalist will be picked, with the two runners up receiving $125,000 and the winner receiving $250,000. A matching donation in the player’s name to the NFL and United Way’s Character Playbook will be given to all nominees. The winner will be announced at NFL Honors prior to the Super Bowl.

Starting Monday, December 12th, until Sunday, January 8th, fans can vote on social media using a to be announced hash tag for their teams’ nominee. The nominee with the most votes will receive an additional $25,000.

Previous winners for the Eagles are Troy Vincent in 2002 and Harold Carmichael in 1980.