NEW YORK, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- Professional football players who use their platforms to raise money for important issues will be honored again this year with the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year award.
The league announced players nominated by each team Wednesday. The finalists for the award will be chosen and January, while the winner will be named the night before the Super Bowl.
The 32 nominees include: Patrick Peterson, Arizona Cardinals; Patrick DiMarco, Atlanta Falcons; Steve Smith Sr., Baltimore Ravens; Eric Wood, Buffalo Bills; Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers; Matt Forte, Chicago Bears; Carlos Dunlap, Cincinnati Bengals; Gary Barnidge, Cleveland Browns; Brandon Carr, Dallas Cowboys; David Bruton Jr., Denver Broncos; Stephen Tulloch, Detroit Lions; Sam Barrington, Green Bay Packers; J.J. Watt, Houston Texans; Dwayne Allen, Indianapolis Colts; Zane Beadles, Jacksonville Jaguars; Eric Berry, Kansas City Chiefs; Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins; Chad Greenway, Minnesota Vikings; Devin McCourty, New England Patriots; Benjamin Watson, New Orleans Saints; Eli Manning, New York Giants; Eric Decker, New York Jets; Justin Tuck, Oakland Raiders; Connor Barwin, Philadelphia Eagles; Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh Steelers; Darrell Stuckey, San Diego Chargers; Anquan Boldin, San Francisco 49ers; Richard Sherman, Seattle Seahawks; Chris Long, St. Louis Rams; Vincent Jackson, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans; Ryan Kerrigan, Washington Redskins.
Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis won the award last year. Davis has a non-profit organization that provides free programs to underprivileged families and gives two high school seniors college scholarships.
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Berry was diagnosed with lymphoma, forcing him out of the 2014 season.
"I'm very grateful to be the Chiefs nominee for this prestigious award," Berry told Chiefs.com. "The love and support I've received over the years has been incredible, and I am blessed to be able to give back to the fans in Chiefs Kingdom and beyond. It's an honor to represent an organization that has an incredible legacy of recipients of this award."
