WASHINGTON — Quarterback Colin Kaepernick and Texans defensive end J.J. Watt are among the five finalists for the NFL Players Association’s Byron "Whizzer" White Award.
The award annually recognizes players for exceptional community service in their team cities and hometowns.
Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton, Eagles defensive end Chris Long and Broncos linebacker Von Miller are the other finalists.
The winner, who will receive $100,000 for his foundation or a charity of his choice, will be announced Feb. 1 at the NFLPA’s Super Bowl news conference.
The award is named after former NFL running back and Supreme Court Justice Byron Raymond "Whizzer" White.
Kaepernick, a free agent, has spoken out on behalf of racial and social justice. He pledged $1 million to organizations working in underserved communities.
The quarterback earned the Week 1 NFLPA Community MVP after making his ninth $100,000 charitable donation to four charities and hosting a back-to-school giveaway in New York.
When Houston was devastated by Hurricane Harvey in August, Watt came to the city’s aid. His social media campaign generated more than $37 million in disaster relief.
Dalton and his wife provide financial assistance to families of seriously ill and physically challenged children through the Andy & Jordan Dalton Foundation.
Long, who will be going to his second consecutive Super Bowl, donated his entire 2017 salary to educational initiatives. He was selected the Week 2 NFLPA Community MVP for using six game checks to fund a scholarship program at his high school in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Miller has struggled with near-sightedness and donated 2,013 eyeglass frames to Denver youngsters through the Anchor Center for Blind Children and his Von’s Vision Foundation.
