IAM Assistant Director of Communications DeLane Adams served as a judge on the panel selecting finalists for the 2026 NFL Players Association (NFLPA) Alan Page Community Award. The panel was responsible for narrowing down 18 candidates to five finalists, with over 6,000 fans also participating through an online voting platform.
Other members of the judging panel included Anquan Boldin, former NFL wide receiver and previous award winner; Mike Jones, national NFL writer for The Athletic; and Margaret Richardson, Chief Marketing and Corporate Affairs Officer at GoFundMe.
The Alan Page Community Award is considered the highest honor given by the NFLPA to a player who demonstrates exceptional community service in their team’s city or hometown. The final recipient is chosen by fellow players through a league-wide digital vote.
The five finalists for this year’s award were Garett Bolles (Denver Broncos), Dion Dawkins (Buffalo Bills), Nakobe Dean (Philadelphia Eagles), Derrick Henry (Baltimore Ravens), and Caleb Williams (Chicago Bears). Garett Bolles was selected as the 2026 winner.
Bolles received a $100,000 donation from the NFLPA for his GB3 Foundation. The announcement took place on February 3 during the NFLPA’s Super Bowl press conference in San Francisco. Bolles had previously earned recognition as Week 1 NFLPA Community MVP after he and his wife opened the Bjorem + Bolles Childhood Apraxia Training Center in Parker, Colorado. This center provides training for speech-language pathologists working with children affected by Childhood Apraxia of Speech and was funded in part by a significant personal donation from the Bolles family.
“It was an honor to represent the IAM Union and the labor movement on this distinguished panel,” said Adams. “The commitment these NFL players demonstrate to their communities mirrors the same dedication other union members show every day in serving their neighbors and fellow workers. I want to thank Brandon Parker, NFLPA director of media and community relations, for inviting me to be part of this important process. Congratulations to Denver Broncos’ Garett Bolles on this well-deserved recognition, and to all 18 outstanding candidates who are making a real difference in people’s lives.”
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) has longstanding ties with the NFL Players Association, including providing office space at IAM Headquarters during the early years of the NFLPA.
“The IAM Union is proud to have DeLane representing the IAM in the judging of these remarkable athletes who understand that real leadership means lifting up your community,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “The NFLPA’s Community MVP campaign is a tremendous program. I want to congratulate Denver Broncos’ Garett Bolles and all the other finalists. They represent the best of what it means to be a union member, standing up for those who need it most.”
Since its inception in 1967, what is now known as the Alan Page Community Award has been presented annually by the NFLPA. In 2018, it was renamed after Alan Page—a Pro Football Hall of Famer who later served on Minnesota’s Supreme Court—recognizing his role as both an executive committee member for players’ union activities and advocate for social justice.
As part of its broader efforts supporting civic engagement among its members, each weekly Community MVP selected by an internal committee receives a $10,000 donation from the union toward their nonprofit organization.
