When it comes to caring for those he considers his own people, Rick has shown us some of the most profound inner loyalty of anyone on the show. Sure, Michonne has grown into a very caring, leadership-oriented character, but she didn't start out that way. And Daryl and Carol? They're deeply loyal, especially to the few survivors of the original group from Atlanta, but they've both had profound struggles with being there when the chips were down.
Not so for Rick. Sure, he's had his moments of selfishness, like when he tried to go all retired farmer on everyone in the beginning of season 4 or when he made it appear as if Maggie would be the future leader (even if he didn't quite come through on that one) in season 8. But for all of his resistance to lead, his loyalty to the group has never faltered. He's always been there with a pistol, axe, machete, or whatever else was available to fight off hordes of walkers, the Governor, Negan, and others, always showing his desire to keep everyone safe and together with a family-level bond of unity as one of his prime motivators.
