Kelvin Beachum
ARIZONA CARDINALS
| Position | College | Years in the NFL |
|---|---|---|
| Offensive Lineman | Southern Methodist University | 10 |
Demonstrates Excellence on the Field
Kelvin Beachum was selected in the seventh round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Entering his 10th year, Kelvin has amassed 115 career starts. Only four offensive linemen from his draft class have started more games. In 2014, Kelvin finished his third season, starting all 16 regular-season games, and was ranked the fifth-best left tackle by Pro Football Focus. He also earned the fifth-highest grade among tackles, finishing with a +21.7 overall grade from PFF and a 97.5 grade in pass-blocking efficiency. Kelvin finished third in pass-blocking efficiency behind only Andrew Whitworth and Joe Thomas. In the 2020 season, he ranked second in offensive snaps played.
Demonstrates Dedication and Commitment to Community Efforts this Year
Kelvin was selected as a Lowe's Home team member for the second year in a row. In this partnership, he will join in a renovation project for Highland Elementary in Mesa, AZ, to provide an outdoor space for an overcrowded school. Kelvin volunteers monthly at the United Food Bank and will be hosting a Thanksgiving distribution to serve several hundred families in November. This winter, Kelvin will also be donating laptops and tablets to an Arizona school to help address technology needs in underserved school populations.
Demonstrates Dedication and Commitment to Community Efforts in Years Past
Kelvin is a sincere and highly driven individual. His passion, grit, and commitment to excellence are some of his most notable qualities. His heart of service and love of community set him apart as a philanthropist and supreme human being. He is a natural leader, an empathetic listener, and genuinely cares about people and the success of the interaction. Kelvin has shown his commitment to serving others through his initiatives to provide school supplies and classroom resources to students and teachers, his efforts to end hunger locally and internationally, and his work to provide clean water access to those in need. He is also an advocate for education equity, passionate about addressing the digital divide and encouraging STEAM education, specifically for minority students. Within these platforms of interest, Kelvin initiated a match challenge to combat domestic food insecurity, pledging $10K to five food banks across the country while also activating the public to support. The entire campaign raised $75K. $50K of the total amount fundraised came from Kelvin directly. He also volunteers at the local food bank in his team city once a month, serving and preparing food for the elderly and organizing donations in the warehouse. Kelvin sponsors an annual teacher resource center for the school district in Mexia, TX (hometown) and for select campuses within DISD in Dallas to allow teachers to shop for school supplies and classroom resources at no cost to them. He also hosted an annual STEM camp for the Mexia school district in partnership with UT Tyler for three consecutive years. Kelvin invited the Morristown Police Department officers to help pass out the toys and promote positive community relationships. The event was so successful that the United Way recognized Kelvin as the Hometown Hero at their annual awards banquet in March 2018. Kelvin also hosted his fifth yearly community football camp in Mexia, TX, in Summer 2018. The camp focuses on fundamental skills, football knowledge, sportsmanship, and community service. The camp hosts nearly 500 campers every year.
Kelvin is the only player to win NFLPA Community MVP four times. He was a finalist for the All-Stars of Giving Humanitarian of the Year Award in 2017 based on his commitment to philanthropy. He was selected as the sole recipient of the Emerging Leader Award at SMU, the most prestigious alumni recognition given by the University. In February 2016, Kelvin visited Honduras with a partner organization, World Vision, to visit their child protection program, which gives children a boost with technology skills. Kelvin has volunteered with the local food bank in every market he has played in and hosted food distributions for community members facing food insecurity. Since its inception, Kelvin has served nearly 2000 households, about 6000 individuals, and over 75,000 pounds of food to those in need.
Within his education platform, Kelvin also has funded field trips and STEM programming opportunities for minority children in every market he has played in, Texas's home state, and additional NFL markets. Kelvin also teamed up with Chevron, the official "STEM Education Partner" for the Super Bowl Host Committee, to host the Chevron STEM Zone at Super Bowl City during the week leading up to Super Bowl 50. In celebration of Super Bowl 51 and their ongoing commitment to education, Chevron funded over $100,000 in classroom supply projects on DonorsChoose.org in the Houston area. In his role as Chevron brand ambassador, Kelvin surprised two Houston schools with these donations. Kelvin partnered with All-Star Code and Code Interactive for coding events in Jacksonville and New York to provide opportunities in STEM to minority students in both communities. Last year, Kelvin made a $15,000 donation through Donors Choose. In 2018, Kelvin made an endowment and naming gift to the SMU Civil Rights Pilgrimage to ensure the program continued under the name of the professor who led Kelvin's pilgrimage.
Demonstrates Consistency in Positive Character and Models a Lifestyle of Giving Back
As a member of the Players Coalition, Kelvin works with fellow NFL teammates to end social injustices and racial inequalities, so future generations have the opportunity to thrive without barriers. On the philanthropic side, he has partnered with Bread for the World and worked with them to help pass legislation that would improve school lunch and breakfast programs and has helped educate policymakers on the effects of malnutrition. He met with political leaders to help pass the Global Food Security Act. He has a strategic partnership with World Vision for global, humanitarian efforts to combat hunger, access clean water, education, and disaster relief. He is the prime example of a professional athlete utilizing his platform to impact the world significantly. In the locker room and beyond, he is a mentor, father, husband, and diverse professional, finding success and making an impact. He is often recognized by NFL executives, sports and business publications, and teammates as an example of an athlete who understands the importance of community work, is always open to continuous learning, and actively pursues additional revenue streams. He is a well-rounded professional who exhibits high character and was even recognized by the NFL Networks' Good Morning Football team as a top 3 ambassador. Kelvin's passion for giving is genuine and foundational. He served long before entering the NFL but has since used his platform and notoriety to give on a grander scale. He is goal-oriented and solution-focused. His servant's heart stems from the strong foundation that faith plays in his life.
