The Washington Commanders struck gold in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft after they selected Ohio State Buckeyes receiver Terry McLaurin with the 76th overall pick.

Five years into his NFL career McLaurin has played under three team names, two owners, two head coaches, more quarterbacks than we care to recount, and has been one of the few stable presences on a topsy-turvy Commanders squad.

While his own 2023 on-field experience isn’t going so well, the Washington legend in the making hasn’t let that stop him from doing good work off of it, leading to his being this year’s franchise nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.

What I’ve been blessed and fortunate enough to do in this community, it’s been super special,” McLaurin said after learning of his nomination.

“I’m going to remember this one for sure. This is something that never leaves you. This stuff transcends time.”

Among his many off-field efforts, McLaurin has started a tradition of spending some of his downtime around his birthday each year to give back and spend some quality moments with the children who look up to him the way he used to with legends like Marvin Harrison of the Indianapolis Colts.

Just this year McLaurin celebrated his birthday at FedEx Field’s Legends Plaza and talked to us about how much more important being a great person is than being a great player, something his mother and father taught him early on.