The National Football League announced the 32 nominees for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, and offensive tackle Kelvin Beachum is the Arizona Cardinals’ champion.
The Walter Payton Man of the Year is an award that honors players for their impact on the community. It has been around since 1970 and named after the Hall of Fame running back since 1999.
Beachum was Arizona’s nominee for the award in 2021, his first season in Arizona. Zach Ertz, Jonathan Ledbetter and Trey McBride were honored as the team’s nominee over the last three respective seasons.
Beachum was also nominated in 2018 with the New York Jets.
The definition of deserving.
We’re thrilled to announce @KelvinBeachumJr as our 2025 Walter Payton Man of the Year club winner! pic.twitter.com/6fcsd26jtk
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) December 4, 2025
“This year’s award recipient for the Walter Payton Man of the Year for the Cardinals is somebody I think everybody will agree is there every time he’s asked to be there for the community,” Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill told the team when announcing the nomination. “What’s really important to him is education, especially STEM education. What’s really important to him is also addressing food insecurity and clean water.”
This year, Beachum teamed up with former Major League Baseball player Curtis Granderson to compete to raise funds for the United Food Bank through the end of November. He partnered with Raising Cane’s for special dates when 15% of net sales would go toward the food bank to assist with food insecurity.
Additionally, Beachum and fellow Cardinals offensive lineman Paris Johnson Jr. brought several Cardinals teammates and staff to the Eisenhower Center for Innovation to hand out food to 250 families ahead of Thanksgiving.
Beachum also published a children’s book in October called “Kelvin’s Big Adventure Map,” and proceeds go to DonorsChoose, an organization that support public schools and teachers.
These initiatives have piled onto a stacked resume of community initiatives Beachum has undertaken throughout his NFL career
Each nominee gets a $40,000 donation from the NFL Foundation and Nationwide Foundation to a charity of his choice. The leaguewide winner will be announced at NFL Honors on Feb. 5, the Thursday ahead of Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8.
The last Cardinals player to win the award and earn the Payton jersey patch was Larry Fitzgerald in 2016.
Kelvin Beachum among 32 Walter Payton man of the Year nominees
Arizona Cardinals: Kelvin Beachum
Atlanta Falcons: A.J. Terrell Jr.
Baltimore Ravens: Derrick Henry
Buffalo Bills: Dion Dawkins
Carolina Panthers: Austin Corbett
Chicago Bears: DJ Moore
Cincinnati Bengals: Ted Karras
Cleveland Browns: Grant Delpit
Dallas Cowboys: Solomon Thomas
Denver Broncos: Garett Bolles
Detroit Lions: D.J. Reader
Green Bay Packers: Jordan Love
Houston Texans: Azeez Al-Shaair
Indianapolis Colts: Kenny Moore II
Jacksonville Jaguars: Logan Cooke
Kansas City Chiefs: Travis Kelce
Las Vegas Raiders: Maxx Crosby
Los Angeles Chargers: Cameron Dicker
Los Angeles Rams: Kyren Williams
Miami Dolphins: Bradley Chubb
Minnesota Vikings: C.J. Ham
New England Patriots: Hunter Henry
New Orleans Saints: Demario Davis
New York Giants: Bobby Okereke
New York Jets: Quincy Williams
Philadelphia Eagles: Jordan Mailata
Pittsburgh Steelers: Alex Highsmith
San Francisco 49ers: Curtis Robinson
Seattle Seahawks: Julian Love
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Baker Mayfield
Tennessee Titans: Jeffery Simmons
Washington Commanders: Bobby Wagner
