Weiner named Falcons Man of the Year nominee

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – The Atlanta Falcons named offensive tackle Todd Weiner the team’s nominee for the 2008 Walter Payton Man of the Year award.

Weiner is currently in his 11th year in the NFL and sixth with the Falcons. The Kansas State graduate has started in 109 of 145 games and paved the way for the Falcons to lead the league in rushing from 2004-06. He was also part of an offensive line that set franchise records in 2002 with 23 rushing touchdowns and the most 30-point games in a season with eight. This season, Weiner has assisted the offense in averaging 361.0 net yards per game and 157.8 net rushing yards, which currently ranks second in the NFL.

Weiner has been active in the community in a range of issues from pediatric cancer to outreach of troubled youth. During the 2008 offseason, he donated a junior Olympic swimming pool and more than $100,000 to the Eagle Ranch Academy, a safe haven home, school and counseling center for 54 boys and girls from 8-18. Weiner is also actively involved in the fight against pediatric cancer and is a spokesperson and activist for the Rally Foundation. He works to raise funds and recruit supplemental support for the foundation’s mission to eradicate children’s cancers though the 4 Quarters 4 Research program.

Weiner’s leadership and commitment to philanthropy serve him well as a board member for the Pro Athletes Outreach organization. This faith-based organization encourages professional athletes to plan for the future and be champions for people and communities in need. He is also an active supporter of the WellSpring Women’s House in Atlanta, an organization and long-term recovery home that reaches out to women whose lives have been devastated by drug and alcohol addiction, depression and other behaviors that stem from childhood sexual abuse. In other giving, Todd supports Life Ministries Today, Grace Summit, Calvary Chapel of Gwinnett, Garth Brooks Foundation and Cool Girls. In faith-based involvement this year alone, Todd has committed nearly $320,000 to organizations, including Mission of Mercy, The Seed Company and In Touch Ministries International supporting initiatives such as outreach to poverty-stricken children in Swaziland, Africa and Bible translation efforts that provide in-language religious manuscripts to native people throughout Kenya.

Since 1970, the NFL has awarded the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award to recognize a player’s off-the-field community service as well as his playing excellence. Each club is responsible for selecting their own nominee while the 2008 national Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year winner will be selected by a blue ribbon panel and recognized on field before kickoff of Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, Florida.