NEW ORLEANS -- Saints quarterback Drew Brees will be the recipient of the 2011 Bart Starr Award.
The award honors players who demonstrate good character in the home as well as leadership on their teams and in their communities. NFL players vote on the award when they vote on the Pro Bowl rosters.
Brees followed up his 2010 Super Bowl MVP performance by leading the Saints back to the playoffs this season. All the while, the quarterback maintained charitable causes that have donated millions of dollars to schools, athletic fields and facilities for cancer patients in New Orleans.
Starr will present the award to Brees at the NFL's Super Bowl breakfast Feb. 5 near Dallas.
Past winners include retired NFL stars Kurt Warner and Warrick Dunn and current New York Jets running back LaDainian Tomlinson.
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press