Kyle Rudolph’s community work has been rubbing off on his Vikings teammates.

The tight end was nominated Thursday for the third straight year for the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. Wide receiver Adam Thielen, Rudolph’s teammate the past seven seasons, called the nomination “well deserved.’’

“He’s done a ton for this community and has really kind of paved the way for a lot of guys in the locker room on how to give back and why he gives back and things like that,’’ Thielen said.

The award goes annually to one NFL player for excellence on and off the field. Rudolph has been very active at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital. In 2017, he founded Kyle Rudolph’s End Zone, an area that provides hospital patients and their families a place to relax.

“It’s a great honor,’’ Rudolph said. “So many guys in our locker room are deserving of that nomination. We have so many guys that do great work both here in the Twin Cities community or back home. … To be able to represent this team for the third year in a row is really special. My wife (Jordan) and I are extremely humbled and honored.’’

The winner will be announced Feb. 1 on the eve of the Super Bowl in Miami.

The Vikings have had two winners of the award, which was first handed out in 1970 and renamed in 1999 for the late Payton, a hall of fame running back. Wide receiver Cris Carter won in 1999 and safety Madieu Williams in 2010.

“I actually talked to (Carter) a little bit last year when there was a chance I could win,’’ Rudolph said. “He always told me, he’s like, ‘I hope you have a trophy like mine to put right next to it because you deserve it.’ … It’d be a great honor to be recognized alongside him but just being associated with this award, being associated with Walter Payton’s legacy, all of the past winners and past nominees, all the great work that they do, that’s what’s most important.’’

Payton died in November 1999. Rudolph at the Super Bowl last season spent plenty of time with Payton’s widow and their two children and was able to learn more about the legendary Chicago running back’s work off the field.

“Everyone knows about his legacy as a player,” Rudolph said. “But when you learn about how much he cared about that community and how much he did for kids, and everybody knows that that’s what we’re extremely passionate about, and the more we’ve gotten to know about Walter Payton’s legacy, you see why it’s the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.’’

Rudolph will wear a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year helmet decal through the end of the season.