New Orleans – The Professional Football Writers of America recently named New Orleans Saints Super Bowl XLIV MVP champion quarterback Drew Brees the winner of "the Good Guy Award."

In recognition of Brees' efforts in assisting the local, national and international media, the prestigious annual award is voted on by the membership of the PFWA to the player that has been the most helpful to the media through cooperation and insights into the game of professional football.

"The media is our strongest connection to our fans and it's important that we make ourselves available and be accountable when the time calls for us to meet with the media," Brees said. "The media tell our story and I recognize the important job that they have.

"Joining a select group of previous winners such as Kurt Warner Brett Favre, LaDainian Tomlinson, Tiki Barber and Jerome Bettis shows that it is not only important to lead on the field like these guys have, but also to lead off of it as well."

Longtime columnist Peter Finney of the New Orleans Times-Picayune is the winner of the McCann Award, which honors a PFWA member for long and distinguished service to the profession. Finney is in his 64th year covering sports in New Orleans.

After missing the first two Super Bowls because his editor thought the game was "a fad," Finney covered 40 straight Super Bowls. He's a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's board of selectors.