Benjamin Watson's remarkable year has gone into overtime.
The New Orleans Saints tight end was named as one of three finalists for the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, which recognizes a player for his excellence both on and off the field. The winner will be announced during the NFL Honors show on Feb. 6.
Watson, 35, became a nationally-recognized voice on social issues following a Facebook post on the Ferguson, Missouri, riots in 2014 that went viral and turned into the recent release of his first book, "Under Our Skin" on the issue of race in society.