ALLEN PARK, MICH. – Dec. 4, 2025 – The Detroit Lions announced that DL DJ Reader has been selected as their 2025 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide. The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide is the League's most prestigious honor, recognizing players who excel on the field and demonstrate a commitment to making a positive impact beyond the game.

In his 10 th season in the League and his second in Honolulu Blue, Reader has brought his passion of giving back to the community with him to Detroit. Reader's efforts span a wide variety of causes from health care access, youth empowerment and education, and food access. As a Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee with the Houston Texans in 2019 and recipient of the President's Lifetime A

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