Washington Commanders veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner was honored during the NFL Awards on Thursday night
In the final honor of the night, the Washington Commanders were recognized after veteran linebacker Bobby Wagner was named the NFL Man of the Year.
This marks the first time that Wagner has drawn the award after Arik Armstead won the award last year, Cameron Heyward in 2023 and Dan Prescott in 2022.
Washington announced Wagner as its club winner for the award back in early December after being credited for his commitment to community service while becoming an advocate "for mental health and social justice reform," working with local non-profits while doing so. Wagner also recently completed his third tour of Tackle Everything Tech Tour, which "highlights the importance of building generational wealth and exposing youth to different industries and leaders in the business and tech space."
Wagner also works with Children's National Hospital to launch the Phenia Mae Fund, named in honor of his mother, in support of the hospital's pediatric stroke program. It marked the fourth fund that Wagner created for stroke prevention.
In the final game of the 2025 season, Wagner became the third linebacker in NFL history to record 2,000 career tackles, joining former Washington linebacker London Fletcher and former Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis. Wagner also enjoyed the celebration in the locker room with Fletcher postgame after head coach Dan Quinn invited.
"He's the best tackler I've coached and so to have that happen, you can see how important we were with the stat line at the half like okay, let's blitz him, let's get him some more tackles. But in true Wags fashion, he will find a way," Quinn said of Wagner. "He's remarkable in so many ways. I showed the team yesterday, [he] just got his MBA from Howard, 4.0. Like of course he did, why would he get a B in anything? That'd be so un-Wags like in so many ways."
While there is no debate about the person that spent two seasons positively impacting the locker room, whether Wagner returns to the Commanders in 2026 is maybe a bigger question mark this offseason with signs pointing to a possible divorce after two seasons. Pro Football Focus pointed to the Buffalo Bills as the best fit for the future Hall of Fame linebacker, while Quinn previously praised Jordan Magee's development in his second season with the organization.
But one thing is clear: Bobby Wagner the person made his impact felt not just in Washington, but across the league with the latest honor.
In addition to the honor, his chosen non-profit is now eligible to receive up to $265,000 along with a $55,000 award.