Cameron Heyward Gives POWERFUL Speech After Winning Walter Payton Award I NFL Awards I CBS Sports

Hear from Cameron Heyward after winning the Walter Payton Award.

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHANNEL:
https://www.youtube.com/user/CBSSports

WATCH
CBS Sports HQ: https://www.cbssports.com/live/
Paramount Plus: https://www.paramountplus.com

FOLLOW US ON:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/CBSSports/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/cbssports/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/CBSSports

#nfl #nflawards #superbowl

[Applause] good evening NFL it’s an it’s an honor to be uh to be with you all tonight I really love I really love how you uh you stole rugby from us and and you made it your own instead of passing it backwards just pass it forwards why not wear pads and a

Helmet of course have an offense and defense that makes sense and why not take a breather every 15 seconds and you know what instead of a 10-month season let’s just make it 18 weeks genius all kidding aside what you guys do on and off the field is truly

Remarkable you are role models for millions in the way you carry yourselves and in the way you give back this final award the highest honor is all about serving your community and there’s one special man we’d like to pay tribute to now a player who goes above and beyond

And whose extraordinary commitment to helping others is a reflection of his own story if you could tun your dad one last time you work your Tong the Pittsburgh Steelers select Cameron Hayward I would tell him I love him there not a day that goes by that we

Don’t miss you and that we’re going to continue to just try to make you proud I lost not only my dad but my best friend find something you care about for me it’s always been given back to the youth and how I can continue to honor him my dad obviously was a football

Player but he was so much more than just that nobody’s going to catch Iron Head Hayward Cameron hayward’s dad Craig iron head Hayward was a Marvel of his time a fullback who ran like a halfback long before his son grew into one of the best defensive linemen in the league that

Looked like iron head he comes from running back stock go my dad was a larger in life personality show off with your bad sh right here he had a job to do inspiring others being there for a family he affected the community and I feel like when he passed away that was my

Responsibility to take up Craig Hayward died of a brain tumor when he was just 39 and his son was in high school years later when cam reached the NFL he summoned his dad’s story when he started thinking of ways to give back himself he had one suit throughout

College it was the only thing he had to his name always felt we should give every kid an opportunity in that way tall but you got long arms right Craig’s closet is an initiative in in honor of my dad where we get to dress young men in suits for job interviews prom this

Looks sweet man when you have that support from teammates and you have the support from your community you just want to keep pushing the boundaries Craig’s closet is just one of nearly a dozen programs he’s dreamed up all under the umbrella of the Hayward house the organization he started in

2015 the broad focus is on improving young lives in Pittsburgh with initiatives to fight childhood hunger Childhood Cancer support literacy education and more there’s no way to count how many kids and families have been touched by his passion but every last impact is a tribute to the hero he lost far too

Soon there’s not a day that goes by I don’t think about my dad but doing a work it’s cathartic I can not only exercise give him back but exercise being close to my dad do you still get sad about your dad and how you deal with

It I do still get sad as much as I get sad I’m happy for the moments my dad has a legacy and now I want to continue expanding and that’s what my Foundation has been about I want people to know everything I do is because I’ve lost people in my

Life you can still keep battling back you can continue to keep living your life and making people proud of you with your D keep going Please welcome the Walter pton NFL Man of the Year cam the man [Applause] [Applause] Haywood [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] oh man man Prince freaking Harry man I’m uh I’m in shock that’s that’s Prince Harry H first of all um I want to say thank you to God um I wouldn’t be here today um go ever since I’ve been a Pittsburgh Steeler um I’ve always thought God and

My dad had a plan for me um and I’m living it right now uh I want to say thank you to the Pittsburgh Steelers uh for giving me this opportunity um Mike T is honor to be coached by you and man I I couldn’t play for any other other coach to my

Teammates I’m thankful to be your teammate um there’s not a day that goes by that um I’m not touched I don’t get a chance to interact with you guys that you push me you give me a chance to give back and you support me um I have to say thank you to the

Steelers organization Mr Rooney Dan Rooney um I also have to give a big shout out to my community people Blair Angela uh you Bert you guys do an amazing job Omar um you know you give me a chance to give back you give me a chance to go out there and affect my

Community um this might be a little bit hard for me uh when I talk about my family I talk about my mom when my dad passed away there was only one person who stepped up for my family uh and she stepped over my Foundation um you know I play football

And I get a chance to give back but I can’t do everything and so she picks up the slack um for our foundation um there’s not anybody in Pittsburgh that doesn’t know her name and it’s all for the right reasons um my wife you are my

Rock you push me you’re there for me um you are you you are the love of my life and I’m thankful for that my brothers Corey Craig Connor my my sister uh Megan um we’re we’re a rough house group but we get a chance to play around with each

Other we get a chance to um be a part of what my dad started it’s truly special um and a special thank you special special thank you to the Walter pton family please give it up for them this is my sixth time so I’ve gotten a chance to know them over the

Years and miss Connie you’ve always said it right we are blessed to be a blessing and Britney and Jared your dad would be so proud of you guys you were creat more of his legacy you are making this award what it is today the work you

Guys do um is truly special and to be up here today I can’t think of a better man to represent this award and it’s because of you guys when I talk about my dad um he worn number 34 um and you know he’s been with me the

Entire time he’s been with me every step of the way but I didn’t know there was another 34 that was helping me this man Walter pyton he’s done so much on and off the field and he’s changed so many lives that now I have the opportunity to be

Part of such a great fraternity and the Walter Payton uh finalists um in winners I know I can carry this on and take the rock I can’t run as fast as Walter and I won’t try but I’ll make sure I do my part um I want to give a

Big shout out to every nominee every winner here today there’s no there’s no act too small there’s no act too big we are all trying to make a difference in so many people’s lives um I continue to keep doing the work as I will this award is

Great and I appreciate it but I understand I got more work to do I got to I got to make sure I represent this man every day going forward and so I ask you guys my brothers keep doing the work keep being the positive role models you

Are I know it’s not always pretty I know a lot of people like to talk about the other stuff but you guys are the change you guys are making a difference and I’m just thankful for that and last thing if you are a young child or you were part

Of the youth just know whether you’re struggling you’re hurting and you’re just looking for somebody to have your back I got you so thank you so much God bless good night stay here that