San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Anquan Boldin was announced Sunday as a finalist for the 2015 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award for the second consecutive year.
Boldin, who is scheduled for free agency, was named as a finalist, along with New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning and New Orleans Saints tight end Benjamin Watson.
Boldin, Manning and Watson were selected as finalists after each of the 32 NFL teams provided a nominee for the award. The winner will be announced Feb. 6, the night before Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara. The award is given to the player who best exhibits a commitment to philanthropy and community impact as well as excellence on the football field.
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The Anquan Boldin Foundation awarded five $10,000 scholarships to high school students in Florida and San Francisco. His annual Q-Festival raised more than $100,000 in April. Boldin and his wife, Dionne, also donated $1 million in 2014 for future scholarships. The NFLPA last year awarded Boldin and his foundation $100,000 for winning the Byron “Whizzer” White Award. Boldin’s foundation was also awarded $25,000 for being named a 2015 Sports Humanitarian of the Year Award finalist, the only NFL player to be acknowledged.
Since 2010, Boldin has worked with Oxfam America, taking trips to Ethiopia and Senegal and given testimony at the White House to lobby Senegalese rights.
Boldin, 35, a 13-year NFL veteran, has played the past three seasons with the 49ers. He led the team in receiving in each of the past three seasons. Boldin had 69 catches for 789 yards and four touchdowns last season.