Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has once again been recognized for his charitable efforts, winning Nationwide’s 2025 Charity Challenge tied to the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. This marks the second consecutive year Kelce has earned the honor and the fifth time a Chiefs player has won it in the past six seasons.
With previous victories in 2020 and 2024, Kelce becomes the first player in the 11-year history of the program to win the Charity Challenge three times. As part of the award, Nationwide will donate $35,000 to Operation Breakthrough, a Kansas City–based nonprofit supported heavily by Kelce.
Operation Breakthrough focuses on providing children from low-income families with a safe, nurturing, and educational environment. Kelce’s long-standing involvement with the organization has resulted in nearly $2 million in contributions through personal donations and fundraising initiatives. He has also played a key role in the creation of the “Ignition Lab,” a hands-on learning facility that has served more than 1,000 students since opening in 2020.
The winner of the 2025 Charity Challenge was selected through a fan vote conducted on social media from December 4 to January 5. All 32 nominees for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award were eligible to compete. The overall award winner will be revealed during the NFL Honors ceremony.
Other recent Charity Challenge winners include Patrick Mahomes in 2022, Tyrann Mathieu in 2021, and Eric Berry in 2015.
Widely regarded as a leader both on the field and in the Kansas City community, Kelce’s latest recognition allows him to continue expanding his positive impact with the support of Nationwide and fans nationwide.
