NEWS: https://www.vikings.com/news/anthony-barr-2021-nfl-walter-payton-man-of-the-year-nominee
VIDEO: https://twitter.com/Vikings/status/1468216509243662340
Barr was an All-CIF and All-State selection for the Cubs during his high school career (2007-2010), where he starred at running back and was rated as the No. 1 overall athlete in the country by MaxPreps before graduating in 2010.
From Vikings.com:
EAGAN, Minn. – The NFL and Minnesota Vikings announced Tuesday that LB Anthony Barr has been named the team's 2021 nominee for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year. Considered the league's most prestigious honor, the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide recognizes an NFL player for outstanding community service activities off the field, as well as excellence on the field. Each nominee by the league's 32 nominees was announced today.
"Anthony consistently represents the best of the Minnesota Vikings within the community," said Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf. "His leadership on the team's social justice committee, his commitment to organizations like the Jeremiah Program and his investment of time and resources through his Raise the Barr Foundation is
inspiring. We are proud to recognize his efforts and name Anthony as our 2021 nominee for this impressive honor."
Since entering the league in 2014, Barr immediately made an impact on the field as a team captain and off as a leader in the Minneapolis/St. Paul community. Barr has invested meaningful time and resources through Raise the Barr foundation. Co-founded by Barr and his mother, Lori Barr, in 2016, Raise the Barr is committed to increasing the economic mobility for single-parent students by providing them with the holistic resources they need to complete their education, including tools they need for their children to thrive. Promoting college success among student-parents is crucial to improving racial, ethnic, and gender equity in higher education access.
"To be recognized is an honor and I'm humbled but this isn't why I do what I do," the eighth-year Vikings linebacker said. "Earning the Walter Payton Man of the Year award makes me want to try even harder and make a bigger difference as we know the work is far from over. My mother is proud, and I'm thankful for her, as she is the one that pushed me to be more vocal and present in the community. I'm very thankful to the Minnesota Vikings organization and the Wilf family. The Wilfs are very generous, kind and they have big hearts. I can't imagine playing for an ownership group that is more generous with their time and resources than the ones that we have in Minnesota."