Bryant named Bucs’ ‘Man of the Year’

Kicker Matt Bryant has been named the Bucs' 2007 Man of the Year for his work on and off the football field, according to a team news release. As the Bucs' finalist for this year's NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year award, Bryant received $1,000 for the March of Dimes Florida Bay Division, the nonprofit organization of his choice.

According to the release, Bryant has honored sailors on board the USS Bainbridge at the Port of Tampa, raised money for All Children's Hospital of Tampa at the Bucs' charity golf tournament, taught football fundamentals to Special Olympics Athletes during the team's training camp, rode along with a Tampa police officer to commemorate Sept. 11 and visited hospitalized pediatric patients across Tampa Bay.

In May, he was named spokesperson for Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum's Child Predator CyberCrimes Unit, which protects children from computer-based exploitation and harassment. He and wife, Melissa, chaired the 2007 Tampa Tailgate Kickoff to a Cure to raise funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in September. Earlier this month, Bryant and his family were named Ambassador Family for the March of Dimes Florida Bay Division, with whom the Bryants have worked to prevent birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality since their son Tre was born prematurely in 2006. Further, Bryant hosts a charitable group at every home game through Bryant's Bucaroos, a ticket program he has sponsored since 2006.

The 2007 Walter Payton Man of the Year award, which recognize's on- and off-the-field excellence, will be selected by a blue ribbon panel and recognized at a news conference during Super Bowl week in Arizona.

(Pictured: Matt Bryant, right, with punter Josh Bidwell. Times photo - Brian Cassella. Click to enlarge.)