NEW YORK — Hines Ward, Jason Taylor, Jason Witten and Brian Waters were selected as finalists for the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.

The winner will be announced at the Super Bowl in Glendale, Ariz., on Feb. 3. The award named for Hall of Famer Walter Payton is the only league award that recognizes community involvement and service, as well as on-field performance.

Ward, a four-time Pro Bowl receiver for the Steelers, established a foundation in 2006 to assist biracial children in South Korea who face discrimination, and hosted eight Korean kids for a weekend in Pittsburgh this season.

"Being selected as a finalist for the 2007 Walter Payton Man of the Year is a tremendous honor for me and for my foundation," Ward said in a statement. "My charitable efforts dually represent the values that my mother instilled in me as a young child and my desire to make the world a better place for all children, in particular those of mixed race who face discrimination in Korea. I hope my nomination raises even more awareness of this cause that is so near and dear to my heart."