Teams unveil Walter Payton Man of the Year nominees
Each NFL team announced its nomination Thursday for the league's prestigious Walter Payton Man of the Year award.
The award honors "outstanding community service activities off the field as well as excellence on the field." Three finalists will be named in January. The winner, announced at Super Bowl weekend, receives a $250,000 donation in their name to the charity of their choice, while two charities chosen by the other finalists each receive $100,000.
Here's this year's complete list of nominees:
- Arizona Cardinals - CB Patrick Peterson
- Atlanta Falcons - G Ben Garland
- Baltimore Ravens - TE Benjamin Watson
- Buffalo Bills - LB Lorenzo Alexander
- Carolina Panthers - TE Greg Olsen
- Chicago Bears - LB Sam Acho
- Cincinnati Bengals - DE Michael Johnson
- Cleveland Browns - TE Randall Telfer
- Dallas Cowboys - C Travis Frederick
- Denver Broncos - CB Chris Harris Jr.
- Detroit Lions - DT Haloti Ngata
- Green Bay Packers - LB Clay Matthews
- Houston Texans - DE J.J. Watt
- Indianapolis Colts - S Darius Butler
- Jacksonville Jaguars - DE Malik Jackson
- Kansas City Chiefs - QB Alex Smith
- Los Angeles Chargers - CB Casey Hayward
- Los Angeles Rams - OL Rodger Saffold
- Miami Dolphins - WR Kenny Stills
- Minnesota Vikings - TE Kyle Rudolph
- New England Patriots - OT Nate Solder
- New Orleans Saints - DE Cameron Jordan
- New York Giants - LB Mark Herzlich
- New York Jets - WR Quincy Enunwa
- Oakland Raiders - LB Bruce Irvin
- Philadelphia Eagles - S Malcolm Jenkins
- Pittsburgh Steelers - DE Cameron Heyward
- San Francisco 49ers - P Bradley Pinion
- Seattle Seahawks - DE Michael Bennett
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers - DL Clinton McDonald
- Tennessee Titans - LB Wesley Woodyard
- Washington Redskins - LS Nick Sundberg
Last season was the third time in the history of the award that two winners were selected: Giants quarterback Eli Manning and Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald.
The active players who have won the award in the past - Drew Brees, Thomas Davis, Jason Witten, Fitzgerald, and Manning - will wear a Man of the Year patch on their jerseys beginning in Week 14.