HH. BREAKING: Detroit Lions DL DJ Reader has officially been named the 2025 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Club Winner — a moment that cements his legacy far beyond the field.

ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Dec. 4, 2025. The Detroit Lions officially announced that defensive lineman DJ Reader has been selected as their 2025 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award

club winner, presented by Nationwide. This honor represents the highest recognition for NFL players who excel on the field while making a profound impact off it.

Now in his 10th NFL season and second year wearing Honolulu Blue, Reader has continued the community-driven mission that has defined his career. His outreach spans crucial issues including access to health care, youth education and empowerment, and food assistance. Already nominated for the award in 2019 with Houston and a recipient of the

President’s Lifetime Achievement Volunteer Service Award in 2022, Reader brings a deep understanding of what it means to invest in the cities he plays for.

Reader said the work is personal, inspired by watching his father serve students as a teacher.

“When you’re there and showing your face, I think you inspire people. My parents always made sure I poured into the community that poured into me. It’s an honor to give back to Detroit,” Reader shared.

At the heart of his efforts is his foundation, A Son Never Forgets, which promotes health and wellness by providing essential services and resources to underserved communities. Through the foundation, he organizes an annual youth football camp in North Carolina, funds free health screenings, supports wellness programs, and has created six public reading rooms across North Carolina and Cincinnati. He has also provided grant funding for athletic programs to upgrade facilities, equipment, and competition support.

Reader’s passion for service is also rooted in honoring his late father, David Reader, who passed away from kidney disease in 2014. Since 2016, DJ has awarded annual scholarships to students from his hometown of Greensboro, N.C., through a memorial fund dedicated to his father. His support of the

National Kidney Foundation spans nearly a decade — including hosting charity walks and golf tournaments that raised over $175,000 for kidney research and awareness.

After joining Detroit in 2024, Reader quickly embraced the city with back-to-school initiatives, including supplying backpacks, school materials, and dental screenings. He also organized a Thanksgiving turkey drive, aligning with one of the Lions’ most storied holiday traditions and instantly connecting with Detroit families.

All 32 team nominees will be honored during Super Bowl LX week in the Bay Area, with the national winner announced on February 5 during the primetime NFL Honors ceremony. Each club nominee’s chosen charity will receive

$40,000, while the national winner’s charity will be awarded $250,000, all funded by the NFL Foundation and the Nationwide Foundation.

Fans can support their favorite nominee in the

Nationwide Charity Challenge by posting #WPMOYChallenge + player’s last name/handle on X/Twitter or voting at NFL.com/ManOfTheYear. The winner of the challenge secures an additional $35,000 for their charity, with $10,000 and $5,000 going to the second- and third-place finishers. Voting runs

Dec. 4 – Jan. 5, 2026.

Starting Week 14 and continuing through season’s end, DJ Reader and all 2025 club nominees will wear the Walter Payton Man of the Year helmet decal as recognition of their outstanding achievements on and off the field.

For more information, visit NFL.com/ManOfTheYear.

John Gruden Tells Giants to Clean Out 3 Draft Busts Before He Accepts Head Coach Job

The New York Giants’ pursuit of John Gruden has shifted dramatically. According to team sources, the veteran coach has delivered a firm and uncompromising request to GM Joe Schoen.

If the Giants want him to take over as head coach, the organization must remove three major draft busts from the roster before he steps into the building. Gruden insists on inheriting a clean locker room with no dead weight blocking young talent.

He has also made it clear he does not want to begin his tenure by cutting players the moment he arrives. Instead, he wants Schoen to handle the necessary roster purge before any agreement is finalized.

The players in question are well known inside the building: CB Deonte Banks, WR Jalin Hyatt and OT Evan Neal. All three have failed to meet expectations and have gradually lost trust within the coaching staff.

CB Deonte Banks, a first round pick in 2023, has been one of the biggest disappointments on the defensive side. Despite occasional flashes, his inconsistency and mental mistakes have become a recurring problem.

Banks has already drawn six penalties while playing only 46 percent of snaps, placing him among the league’s most penalized defensive backs. His miscommunication that allowed a Bears touchdown was only the latest example of his struggles.

The situation has deteriorated to the point where rookie Korie Black. a seventh round pick. has outperformed him in effort and discipline. With Paulson Adebo close to returning, Gruden reportedly believes cutting Banks would send the right message about accountability.

WR Jalin Hyatt, drafted in the third round in 2023, has contributed even less. Hyatt has been active four times this season but has not played a single offensive snap, falling completely out of the rotation.

He has already been surpassed by undrafted rookies and practice squad promotions. Even return specialist Gunner Olszewski has been viewed as a more reliable option. Hyatt’s brief experiment as a kickoff returner was also unsuccessful.

Inside the building, many now believe Sunday may be Hyatt’s final chance to show he belongs. Gruden appears to have no interest in carrying a wide receiver who has shown so little development.

OT Evan Neal, the seventh overall pick in 2022, is the clearest example of wasted potential. Neal has been a healthy scratch nine times this season, a shocking fall for a former top ten pick.

His only game day activation came because the entire inactive list was filled with injured players. Even then, he was not trusted to play on field goal protection, a basic assignment for backup offensive linemen.

With Neal now in the final year of his rookie contract, there is no remaining upside or hope for a turnaround. Gruden reportedly wants the Giants to reclaim the roster spot and use it on someone capable of contributing immediately.

For Gruden, the philosophy is simple. A new culture cannot begin while unreliable former draft picks remain on the roster. He wants a competitive environment built on effort, discipline and accountability.

He also believes that rookies deserve a chance to earn real playing time without being blocked by underperformers who remain only because of draft pedigree. To him, that mindset is how losing cultures form.

Gruden’s message to Joe Schoen was direct. If the Giants want him as head coach, the cleanup must be completed before he accepts the job. He will not walk into a locker room carrying issues that should have already been addressed.

The ball is now in the Giants’ court. Gruden has made his conditions clear. The question is whether the organization is ready to follow them.