Cardinals’ Kelvin Beachum honored with 2022 PFWA’s Good Guy award

TEMPE — When asked about the season as a whole on Wednesday, Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Kelvin Beachum rattled off a plethora of off-the-field distractions on top of injuries, inconsistent play and even a couple of hold-ins during training camp.

He summed up a lot of the bad — not nearly covering everything in his near-minute-long response — on what has gone on with this organization since this past offseason.

Given it’s the last week of a disappointing season and Beachum’s impending free agency this offseason, it was something the veteran didn’t have to dive into by any means.

But he did, further proving why he was the right choice for the Arizona Chapter of the Pro Football Writer of America’s Good Guy award.

In honor of the late Steve Schoenfeld, the hardware is handed out to a player who has shown great cooperation and insight when dealing with the media.

Amid a season where players are inclined to say less, Beachum has stepped up and been that voice for the many.

Whether it was discussing quarterback Kyler Murray’s contract situation and the clause included with it, the passing of cornerback Jeff Gladney, the surprise dismissal of offensive line coach and run game coordinator Sean Kugler or any day when something outside of football was the topic, Beachum did not shy away from answering the tough questions.

“I call him a CEO because he’s made so much money off the field,” head coach Kliff Kingsbury said Wednesday. “He’s got all these business interests and all these different things. … He had a sprained MCL, a sprained ankle and continues to play and wants to finish what he started. That says all you need to know about him and I couldn’t be more impressed with all the changes and all the things going on, just the way he’s battled and helped lead that offense.

“In this scenario, being a point in the season where the games don’t matter as far as standings and things of that nature, to have guys still playing at a high level, still showing up at 5 a.m. to get their bodies right and be a professional, that sets the tone for your entire organization,” the head coach added.

For Beachum, going that extra mile is something that was — and still is — instilled in him by his family.

Growing up around his dad’s auto shop in Mexia, Texas, Beachum got a firsthand look at what real work is. To this day, his dad and grandfather still put in the time and dedication on a daily basis.

Beachum is more than carrying that torch of hard work and pride for his family.

“Considering everything that’s happened this year, the wins, the losses, the tough losses, the tough outcomes, you still have to treat people the right way,” Beachum said. “At the end of the day, it’s all about how you treat people.”

After this week, Beachum’s future in the desert is up in the air.

The 33-year-old feels like he could give it another go, though would take some time after the season to further evaluate where he’s at health-wise.

And if another year — at the least — is still in the cards for the lineman, Kingsbury isn’t squashing a potential reunion between the two sides.

“Yeah, I would (like to see Beachum back next season),” Kingsbury said. “Just the way he’s played, performed, pushed through and the leadership he’s brought to this organization has been phenomenal.”

Follow @Tdrake4sports