With the end of the 2022 season coming this weekend, the Arizona chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA) announced its year-end player awards for the Arizona Cardinals.
Local reporters who cover the team and are members of the PFWA (such as myself) voted for the team MVP and the most outstanding player for cooperation with the media.
The Lloyd Herberg MVP award goes to safety Budda Baker and the Steve Schoenfeld Good Guy Award goes to right tackle Kelvin Beachum.
Baker was awarded for his on-field play. Before landing on injured reserve with a fractured shoulder, he started all 15 games and had a currently team-leading 111 tackles, two interceptions, seven pass breakups, one forced fumble and one tackle for loss. He was selected to the Pro Bowl for the fourth consecutive season and fifth time in his career.
The award is named after Lloyd Herberg, who was the beat writer covering the Cardinals for the Arizona Republic from 1988 when the team arrived to 1994 before he died.
Beachum was recognized for being available, insightful and professional while communicating with reporters this season. He is the only offensive player to start all 16 games this season thus far.
The award is named after Steve Schoenfeld, who covered the Cardinals and the NFL from 1988-2000 for the Republic until his tragic death in a hit-and-run accident. He was a former national president of the PFWA.
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