At the Heisman Memorial Trophy Dinner Gala, the New York Jets’ Solomon Thomas was honored for his work with his foundation
After being nominated for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, New York Jets defensive lineman Solomon Thomas has received another honor for his work off the field.
Before last week’s Heisman Trophy award ceremony, Thomas was honored with the Heisman Humanitarian Award at a dinner gala.
Co-founder Solomon Thomas received the Heisman Humanitarian Award last night at the Heisman Memorial Trophy Dinner Gala. @heismantrophy @sollythomas90 💙🏈
📸 @heismantrophy pic.twitter.com/BUGpuYDJ2x— The Defensive Line (@TDefensiveLine) December 11, 2023
According to the Heisman website, the award is meant to act as “an extension to the Heisman Trophy’s greater outreach to athletes who are providing opportunities to those less fortunate.”
Thomas joins sports legends such as Mike Krzyzewski, David Robinson, and former Jets defensive lineman Marty Lyons as previous award winners.
Thomas was recognized in large part for his work with his foundation, The Defensive Line. The foundation strives to end the large amounts of youth suicide, putting an extra emphasis on young people of color. It aims to do this by working to transform the way people communicate and connect about mental health, pushing to end the “stigma” surrounding it.
The president of the Heisman Trophy Trust, Mike Comerford, spoke about Thomas receiving the award.
“Solomon’s contributions to humanitarian efforts and charitable work, such as mental health advocacy, make him a most deserving candidate for the Heisman Humanitarian Award. Furthermore, his dedication to promoting mental health awareness and helping others facing similar challenges showcases his commitment to making a positive impact on society.”
The Defensive Line, through the various workshops and seminars it holds, makes a considerable impact.
According to the foundation’s website, 93% of participants felt comfortable talking about mental health after the training. In addition, there was a 49% increase in teachers identifying mental health challenges.
Thomas, through his work with his foundation and beyond, has shown that he is committed to improving the lives of others with the platform that he has. As a result, the Jets’ defensive lineman is more than deserving of the recognition that he has received.
