Former Terrapin football star and current Minnesota Viking safety Madieu Williams on Sunday was named the 2010 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, one of the sport’s highest honors for community service and onfield success.
Williams was honored in a Super Bowl XLV pre-game ceremony and accepted the award with a prerecorded message from the Persian Gulf, where he was visiting U.S. service members.
“It is a tremendous honor to win this award named after Walter Payton, one of the greatest men to ever play in the National Football League,” Williams said in the video. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be there to accept the award, but it’s an even greater honor to be here in Iraq with Task Force Iron Horse on a goodwill tour watching the Super Bowl with our troops.”
Williams, an All-ACC selection with the Terps in 2002 and 2003, donated $2 million to the university’s public health school in November 2009 to help found the Madieu Williams Center for Global Health Initiatives, which focuses on public health initiatives in his native Sierra Leone and in Prince George’s County.
“As you can imagine, we are very happy for him,” public health school Dean Robert Gold wrote in an e-mail. “Mr. Williams is a humble and yet exceedingly compassionate young man who is committed to giving back to his communities. … Mr. Williams exemplifies the kind of alumnus every School and University hopes to produce, and we are pleased to extend our warmest congratulations to him on this award.”
Williams also has funded the construction of schools in Sierra Leone. The Madieu Williams Foundation promotes health awareness and has flown American doctors, dentists and teachers to Sierra Leone to help educate and perform dental cleanings and surgeries.
“From the day I first met Madieu I could tell there was a fire inside of him,” Gloria Friedgen, the wife of former Terp coach Ralph Friedgen, said in a release. “He is truly leaving his mark on the world.”
Williams still does charity work in Cincinnati, where he was originally drafted by the Bengals in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft. In Minnesota, he works with the YMCA and the United Way, as well as his “Dieu’s Crew” program, which provides Vikings season tickets for children.
His brother, DeMatha High School cornerback Michael Williams, signed a National Letter of Intent to play with the Terps in college.
The Man of the Year award was established in 1970 and is given to an NFL player who exhibits exemplary service to his community and performs well on the field. Williams was chosen over Oakland Raider cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and Chicago Bear defensive end Israel Idonije.
schneider@umdbk.com
