The NFLPA has announced their five finalists for the 2017 Byron “Whizzer” White award. The finalists will be voted on by a panel of judges that range across media, sport, service, and charity, and labor venues. The panel committee will include, Ryan Clark, former NFL and NFLPA committee member, Kelly Love, Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Business Development at Delta Private Jets, Tom Pelissero, NFL writer for USA Today, Marc Pollick, President and founder of The Giving Back fund, Donald Taylor, President of United Here, and Charlie Batch, former NFL quarterback, and previous winner of the Whizzer White award in 2013.
The award is the highest annual honor that the NFLPA can give to a player. It recognizes the player who goes above and beyond to provide community services in their team’s city and in their own hometowns. The Winner receives $100,000 for his charity or foundation.
The Finalist for this year are Malcolm Jenkins, safety for the Philadelphia Eagles, Rashad Jennings, running back for the New York Giants, Russel Wilson, quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks, Johnny Hekker, punter for the L.A. Rams, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers very own Clinton McDonald.
Clinton McDonald won NFLPA’s Community MVP in week 10 and was elected as a union player for the Buccaneers. He has served as a frequent volunteer in his local community and along with his McDonald Association Collective Collaboration-Light Into Darkness foundation, he reinforces STEM education at local schools all while feeding over 2,000 people in his hometown during Thanksgiving.
I wish we were allowed to vote for the winner as I would vote for Clinton McDonald for his contributions to the community. The fact that he is a Buc does have its appeal, however, it is his works that have my vote.
