MaryKate Drews/Chicago Bears 2023Jones' dedication to serving the area and utilizing his system to spread positivity, along with his expert leadership in the storage locker area as a constant starter on the protective line, gained him the Bears' nomination for 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award offered by NFL's a lot of prominent honor recognizes players who stand out on the field and demonstrate a pa###ion for producing a long-term positive influence beyond the game in their communities. "This award possibly implies even more to this club than any various other club in the National Football Organization," Bears basic supervisor Ryan Poles stated. "Wherefore Walter Payton stood for as a Chicago Bear, we're trying to find guys that have those exact same qualities in exactly how they're altering the neighborhood, specifically here in Chicago. "Justin Jones is a man that has actually been out in the neighborhood a whole lot. From sustaining ladies's flag football to being a coach to young guys in the city of Chicago, he's done a fantastic task of making an impact in this city. "During a group conference in November, Jones was surprised with the nomination with a video from the Payton family. Jones said he had not been expecting the election however "certainly values" the Bears organization and the Payton family for sustaining him. Comprehending just how crucial neighborhood involvement and character to the Bears, Jones is "amazed" that he will certainly represent the club this Jones did not expect to receive the nomination, anybody who hangs out with the professional understands he deserves it. During the period, Jones is a normal attendee of Youth Advice's "Ending up being A Man" program, a therapy program that overviews boys in 7-12th grade to discover, internalize and practice social cognitive abilities, make accountable decisions for their future and become positive participants of their institution and LinksBears Treatment Back-to-chool Fair gives unique opportunities for familiesMaryKate Drews/Chicago Bears 2022When attending the BAM program, Jones participates in talking circles with the young males as they go over things like taking care of emotions along with various life experiences and questions. "eeing what BAM is doing with all these children, it's simply unbelievable," Jones said. "Those team sessions, I feel like even if it's simply 50 minutes, are several of one of the most impactful sessions I have actually ever before been a part of since it's actual. They're getting a genuine side of you, besides football. They need to know, 'what was it like growing up? What's it like being a daddy? What's it like being a partner? What's it like being a son? You matured just like me, just how did you do this?' o I really feel like that things goes the furthest. "Jones' pa###ion for BAM originates from his individual mental health journey. When he was prepared by the Los Angeles Chargers in 2018, Jones relocated to a city he had actually never ever also gone to before and was across the nation from all his family and struggled to remain gotten in touch with his individuals because of the moment difference and active routine of an NFL player. When his friends and family called him, it was too very early for him. When he called his family and friends, it was also late for them. "I type of went to a dark location being out there," Jones said. "I didn't actually want to hang out with everyone and I didn't want to do a great deal of various things, just intended to be by myself. I seemed like that's sort of something that I made use of to do back during that time. When points felt various to me or when things made me really feel awkward, I type of would certainly evade into myself. "It had not been till Jones' child was born at the end of 2020 that he realized what was happening. Intending to be better for his family, he looked inward and asked himself 'why am I in this manner?' and found out how to resolve things he discovered. "Emotional knowledge in general, that's something that we do not actually speak about as guys," Jones stated. "When you're growing up and you're weeping, it was sort of like 'Hey, man up. We don't cry. ' But it is healthy to sob. It is healthy to be upset. It is healthy and balanced to be upset. But it's likewise healthy to be satisfied and happy-- they are all healthy and balanced feelings. But at a young age, you're not really educated just how to refine those feelings the method that you need to refine them to ensure that you can still preserve healthy partnerships. "Jacob Funk/Chicago Bears 2023Coming to Chicago helped Jones distance himself even more from that dark place. Between the Bears' outreach and team-bonding activities, he continues to be involved in things that maintain him attached to every person around the last two years, he's begun going to supper with his colleagues or playing video clip games with them. Those minutes have actually helped Jones discover his objective and led him to becoming a coach for the BAM students. "Simply having the ability to inform the kids, 'hey, yeah, we get on this huge platform, yet we're all human and most of us combat some type of devil at some time and sometimes you require help,'" Jones said. "I seem like that is just one of the greatest things that BAM has done for not only myself, however a number of youngsters throughout the area. "Together with his job at BAM, Jones last winter altered the life of Nicole Mitchell-- a deaf solitary mother of 3 youngsters in southwest country Cook County. Jones adopted Mitchell and her household for the vacation period, giving them with various present cards for everyday basics like grocery stores, gas and electronics also Bears equipment for her, her kid Myles and her little girls Mynayla and Myangela. "I feel in one's bones that maturing in a single parent home, you can not give your children every little thing," Jones said. "For those who have the cash to do what they want with their youngsters, they possibly lack time. And those that have the moment, they possibly do not have the funding. If you're doing it all by yourself, something's missing out on and your youngsters truly do require it all. They require the great presents to reveal admiration, yet they also require the moment for you to be there. "Jacob Funk/Chicago Bears 2023Jacob Funk/Chicago Bears 2023After a training school practice in August, Jones fulfilled Mitchell and her family for the very first time at the Bears' yearly Back to chool Fair. Jones bears in mind seeing Mitchell in rips when they fulfilled, including the minute "warmed my heart simply to see all the smiles and them being so thankful. "Jones spent extra time speaking about football with Myles, that plays running back for Richards High chool. Throughout the autumn, Jones has maintained tabs on Myles, who he claimed "had an actually, really excellent period. "While Jones has actually devoted himself to aiding alter lives throughout Chicagoland, he's continued to be a constant component of the Bears defense. tarting in all 29 video games he's played because involving Chicago, Jones has amounted to 86 deals with, 19 tackles-for-loss, 19 quarterback hits and 5. 0 veteran has also acted as an advisor to his young colleagues like fellow protective linemen Gervon Dexter r. and Zacch Pickens. ince Jones' arrival in Chicago a year-and-a-half ago, Poles has actually valued his "impressive" leadership in the storage locker area and in the community. "I a###ume the trendy thing in terms of just how he's helped be a mentor for various other individuals in the city of Chicago along with young players on our team, is he's taking advantage of previous experiences that he's gone through," Poles said. "If it's performance anxiousness, if it's simply coming up as a young football gamer attempting to reach his objectives, going via the ups and downs of a career-- it's never ever a direct course. "o for him to utilize some of the expertise he's had from his past and spread that not only to the area, yet to his teammates, has actually influenced this group and this locker room. "Jacob Funk/Chicago Bears 2023As a candidate, Jones will put on a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year headgear decal starting this unday against the Lions and via the remainder of the 2023 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year winner will certainly be revealed throughout NFL Honors, a primetime awards special to air country wide the Thursday prior to uper Dish LVIII on CB. All 32 candidates will receive as much as a $55,000 contribution and the victor will get a $250,000 contribution to the charity of his choose Justin Jones, fans can upload #WPMOYChallenge on X previously Twitter) together with his deal with or vote straight at / ManOfTheYear Joe Tryon-Shoyinka Jersey (https://www.cbsportsapparel.com/collections/joe-tryon-shoyinka-jersey). The candidate who receives one of the most cumulative hashtag mentions and elects will certainly win an extra $35,000 contribution from Nationwide to the charity of their option, with the runner-up getting $10,000 and the third-place champion obtaining $5,000. Charity Difficulty voting happens from Dec. 5th to Jan. 8th. For more details on the candidates and the award, please go to / ManOfTheYear.