You may have noticed that Russell Wilson has a special logo on his jersey during NFL games.
The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback is now in his 13th year in the league and is one of the oldest players to still be active this season.
As he plays his first campaign with the Steelers after joining from the Denver Broncos, fans are likely to spot something unique on his jersey.
And talkSPORT.com has taken a look at what exactly it is…
What is the logo on Wilson’s jersey?
The logo on Wilson’s jersey represents the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award.
The shape of the Walter Payton trophy is stitched into the right-hand side of his kit.
The award is named after Payton who played for the Chicago Bears from 1975 to 1987 and is widely regarded as one of the best players ever.
It is given to NFL stars who impress on the field but also off it, and judges take into account everything they do for the sport as a whole.
Wilson was awarded the trophy in 2020 and he was incredibly proud of his achievement.
“The Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, to me, represents excellence, not just on the field, but more importantly off the field,” he said four years ago.
“In life, we’re granted the opportunity to have an impact, no matter what sphere of influence we’re around.
“Walter Payton was one of the greatest examples of what he was able to do not just on the field, but more important off the field to give back and to serve and to love and to care.
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“For me, to be able to be even mentioned with a name like Walter Payton is one of the greatest blessings I could ever have and one of the greatest honors you could ever have.”
Wilson can be reminded of his award every game as he wears the logo on his jersey every time he takes to the field.
The NFL introduced a rule in 2017 to allow players who win the special trophy to wear the patch in-game to bring some attention to it.
Walter Payton trophy winners
Every winner from 2010-2023
- Madieu Williams – 2010
- Matt Birk – 2011
- Jason Witten – 2012
- Charles Tillman – 2013
- Thomas Davis Sr. – 2014
- Anquan Boldin – 2015
- Larry Fitzgerald / Eli Manning – 2016
- JJ Watt – 2017
- Chris Long – 2018
- Calais Campbell – 2019
- Russell Wilson – 2020
- Andrew Whitworth – 2021
- Dak Prescott – 2022
- Cam Hayward – 2023
The league was keen to get some more eyes on what they consider to be their ‘most prestigious’ award and honour the winners.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott also has the logo on his jersey when he plays after he picked up the trophy in 2022.
Last year it was Wilson’s Steelers teammate Cam Hayward who won it while other past winners include JJ Watt and Eli Manning.
The NFL veteran is now into his fifth year of wearing the logo on his kit and the exposure is certainly deserved.
