Athletes in Action has announced that Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will be honored with the 2014 Bart Starr Award, which recognizes one NFL player for outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field and in the community.
Rodgers will be honored during the 27th annual NFL-sanctioned Super Bowl Breakfast, presented by Companies with a Mission, on Friday, Jan. 31, 2014, at 8 a.m. EST at the Marriot Marquis New York (1535 Broadway).
Other finalists for the award were Ryan Clark, safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Jared Allen, defensive end for the Minnesota Vikings.
The morning will include special guests George Martin, Eric Metaxas, Jim Caviezel, Justin Tuck, Brent Jones, David Tyree and other NFL athletes and coaches to be announced.
In his nine years in the NFL, Rodgers has been active in numerous charitable projects. This fall he partnered with Raise Hope for Congo, speaking publicly about his desire to see an end to the conflict in that country. Rodgers is also an activist for the Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer (MACC) fund, an organization working to cure childhood cancer and blood disorders. Together with Milwaukee attorney David Gruber, Rodgers created www.itsaaron.com to build awareness for organizations and people who are making a difference in their communities. Additionally, he has been involved with Young Life and the Make-A-Wish foundation, among many other projects.
The winner of the Bart Starr Award is voted on by NFL players and is named after Pro Football Hall of Famer Bart Starr. The award honors the player who best exemplifies Starr's commitment to family, teammates and the community. Past winners include Jason Witten, London Fletcher, Drew Brees, Kurt Warner, LaDainian Tomlinson, Reggie White and Mike Singletary.
Priority and corporate tables are still available and may be purchased by calling (800) 416-9472. Additional information can also be found at www.superbowlbreakfast.com.
Previous Bart Starr Award Winners
Jason Witten - Dallas Cowboys
London Fletcher - Washington Redskins
Drew Brees - New Orleans Saints
Kurt Warner - Arizona Cardinals
Warrick Dunn - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
LaDainian Tomlinson - San Diego Chargers
John Lynch - Denver Broncos
Curtis Martin - New York Jets
Troy Vincent - Buffalo Bills
Derrick Brooks -Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Trent Dilfer - Seattle Seahawks
Darren Woodson - Dallas Cowboys
Bruce Matthews - Tennessee Titans
Aeneas Williams -Arizona Cardinals
Irving Fryar - Philadelphia Eagles
Brent Jones - San Francisco 49ers
Darrell Green -Washington Redskins
Jackie Slater - St. Louis Rams
Cris Carter - Minnesota Vikings
Warren Moon - Houston/Seattle
Gill Byrd - San Diego Chargers
Reggie White - Green Bay Packers
Mike Singletary - Chicago Bears
Anthony Munoz - Cincinnati Bengals
Steve Largent - Seattle Seahawks
Starr, who played 15 seasons for the Packers (1956-1972) and led the team to five NFL titles and two Super Bowl Championships, said, "Aaron and this year's award finalists Ryan Clark (Pittsburgh Steelers) and Jared Allen (Minnesota Vikings) are outstanding examples of athletes who are committed to using their football platform to serve others. It's a great privilege to recognize Aaron Rodgers, a fellow Packer, for his team leadership and significant community contributions. Aaron is a great representative of the word 'gentleman' and I am proud to have his name associated with this special recognition and award."
About the Athletes in Action Super Bowl Breakfast
The Super Bowl Breakfast is an NFL-sanctioned event hosted by Athletes in Action. The signature event of Super Bowl week has taken place in the game's host city every year since 1988, drawing sellout crowds to hear from some of the game's biggest names. The Bart Starr Award, given away at the breakfast, honors Starr's lifelong commitment to serving as a positive role model to his family, teammates and community. The winner of the Bart Starr Award is determined by NFL player balloting at the end of the regular season. The award is one of only two individual honors selected by the players themselves.
