Jaguars’ Arik Armstead wins this year’s Walter Payton -mand

New Orleans – Jacksonville Jaguar’s defense end Arik Armstead, whose Armstead Academic Project supports education in early childhood, was chosen for this year’s Walter Payton man on Thursday night.

Armstead, who openly discusses how his difficulties in reading as a child made him self -conscious, routinely visit schools and read for children as part of his mission to ensure that young students with all socio -economic background have access to adequate educational resources.

“This is a huge honor,” Armstead said at the NFL Honors Awards Show. “It is a huge sense of responsibility that I feel to lead this forward and continue to earn – and serve more people.”

Armstead thanked his parents for “incorporating a serving spirit into me at a young age.”

“Your guide is the biggest reason I am where I am in my life right now,” he said. “I hope I’ll make you proud.”

Armstead closed with a request to his audience in the Saenger Theater and those watching on TV.

“We live in a world that is constantly trying to divide us,” Armstead said. “But I believe in humanity. I think we are all more similar than we are different and I think we all have the power to be the change we want to see in our society.

“I just encourage you to try to be a blessing in someone else’s life and see how it changes your life,” he said.