Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell has been named the team’s nominee for the 2025 Walter Payton Man of the Year award, which recognizes NFL players for their community service and excellence on the field.
The announcement was made in a surprise event at the Atlanta Falcons Ticketmaster Studio, where Terrell believed he was recording promotional material for Pro Bowl voting. Instead, his younger brother Avieon informed him of his nomination. “No one deserves this more than you. The work that you’re doing on and off the field is being recognized,” Avieon told him. Terrell’s parents, Aliya and Aundell Sr., watched from a control room above, expressing pride in their son’s journey.
Aliya said, “We understood where A.J. came from. The grind, the hustle.” Audell added: “The journey.”
Reflecting on his selection, Terrell stated: “I put in so much work this offseason. I’m talking about stressed out in good ways. But it paid off, and this is what it’s all about right here.”
Terrell’s involvement with community initiatives began soon after he joined the Falcons as a first-round draft pick in 2020. He established the A.J. Terrell Jr. Foundation that year to support youth development in Atlanta.
The foundation’s main initiative is the A.J. Terrell Jr. Academy, which places academic athletic coaches into high schools to provide students with guidance on academics, time management, college planning and life skills.
In addition to academic programs, the foundation runs Crownucopia—a project that provided care packages with personal care items tailored to women and children at My Sister’s House in Atlanta last year.
Since its inception in 2023, the Academy has served over 600 student-athletes across two high schools—helping most maintain eligibility and improve GPAs by an average of 25%. By 2025 it expanded to reach nearly 1,000 students across three schools through new initiatives such as Team Excel (a digital platform tracking academic performance), a Student Emergency Fund for those facing crises and enhanced program structures within participating schools.
Crownucopia also expanded this year to serve up to 245 residents at My Sister’s House with age-appropriate care packages—including products for men—and added hair styling services along with education about natural hair care.
This fall saw another major fundraising effort when Terrell’s foundation hosted “Roller Ball,” a celebrity skating event at Mercedes-Benz Stadium designed to raise money for further growth of the Academy’s programming.
During summer months, his foundation partnered with CAMP HBCYouth’s field days; Terrell personally invested over $50,000 into these activities so more children could participate in extracurricular opportunities they otherwise might not afford.
Overall since starting his foundation five years ago after being drafted by Atlanta—the city where he grew up—Terrell has contributed more than $1 million towards its programs.
Speaking about his ongoing commitment to giving back locally, Terrell said: “This is an honor and a responsibility of mine,” adding: “to give back in any way that I can. It’s something I take pride in and something that has always been in my heart, to give back to the places all around that shaped me.”
