Calais Campbell, Larry Fitzgerald finalists for NFL awards

The Arizona Cardinals have a pair of veteran players in Larry Fitzgerald and Calais Campbell who you want to have on any team. They play at high levels on the field and also show great character.

Both players are finalists for NFL awards that deal with their character.

Fitzgerald is one of eight finalists in the league for the inaugural NFL Sportsmanship Award. The other finalists are Thomas Davis, Chad Greenway, Calvin Johnson, Troy Polamalu, Matthew Slater, Alex Smith and DeMarcus Ware.

Each NFL team nominated one of its players for the award earlier this season, which will recognize annually NFL players who exemplify outstanding sportsmanship on the field. A panel of former players from the NFL Legends Community selected from the 32 nominees eight finalists. The panel is comprised of Warrick Dunn, Curtis Martin, Karl Mecklenbug and Leonard Wheeler.

The winner of the NFL Sportsmanship Award will be determined by a vote of current NFL players. The eight finalists will be listed on the Pro Bowl ballot under the NFL Sportsmanship Award when the players vote on December 19. From the eight finalists, each team's players will submit a consensus vote of its choice for the winner. As in Pro Bowl voting, a team cannot vote for its own player.

The award will be presented annually to an NFL player who best demonstrates the qualities of on-field sportsmanship, including fair play, respect for the game and opponents, and integrity in competition.

Campbell is a finalist for the league's Man of the Year award.

The prestigious Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award presented by Nationwide is unique among NFL honors because it is the only award that recognizes a current NFL player for outstanding community service activities as well as excellence on the field. Established in 1970, the award was renamed in 1999 after the late Chicago Bears' running back Walter Payton, who represented the very best of the NFL as an athlete on the field and as a role-model off of the field.

An elite panel of judges including Commissioner Roger Goodell, former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, Sports Illustrated writer Peter King, Connie Payton, Frank Gifford, Anthony Muñoz and the 2013 Payton Award recipient, Charles Tillman, will select the overall winner from the list of the 32 NFL team nominations. The winner will be announced during the "4th Annual NFL Honors," awards show Saturday, January 31, from 9-11 p.m. ET on NBC.

This is Campbell's nomination description:

Calais Campbell shares the life lessons instilled in him by his family with Phoenix families and children in need. Founded in honor of his late father, the Charles Richard Campbell Foundation has fed over 300 families, given scholarships to deserving students, developed after school tutoring programs and donated over $15,000 to 12 non-profits since its inception four years ago. His goal is to one day open a community center to further develop his goal of empowering families and children.

How has your nominee put the needs of members in the community ahead of their own?

In Calais' limited time during the season, he makes it a priority to engage in as many opportunities to help the community as possible. Even while rehabbing and recovering from his recent injury, he still participated in camps and his own foundation events. People know that if they have a community event or program, they can count on his support.

What is your nominee's next initiative?

His next initiative is to create a community center to headquarter a variety of CRC mission related programs.

When did your nominee start supporting this cause?

Calais' commitment to giving back has been a passion since he was a young man following in the footsteps of his father, a community leader. He established the CRC Foundation in 2010.