BALTIMORE, MD (12/04/06) --- Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn has been named the 2006 winner of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. The award is presented annually by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. to the best senior college quarterback in the nation. The official announcement was aired last Friday night on "Out of Bounds," on CN8, The Comcast Network.
The most prolific passer in Notre Dames storied history, Quinn owns 35 school records including career pass attempts (1,567), completions (914), yards (11,614), yards per game (242), touchdown passes (93), and lowest interception percentage (2.36).
With one bowl game left to play in 2006, Quinn has completed 274 of 432 passes (63.4 percent) for 3,278 yards and 35 touchdowns.
"Like Johnny Unitas, Brady Quinn has been a leader on the playing field and off, carrying the ideals of football forward into his relations with his community and his fellow man," says John Unitas, Jr., President of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc.
"The winner of the Golden Arm Award is recognized not only for his athletic accomplishments, but also for his character, citizenship, scholastic achievement, leadership qualities, and athletic abilities," Unitas, Jr. continues. "With respect to each of these measures, Brady Quinn is truly outstanding and a most worthy recipient of this prestigious award."
In winning the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Quinn joins an outstanding group of previous winners, including last years recipient, Matt Leinart (USC), Eli Manning (Mississippi), Carson Palmer (USC), David Carr (Fresno State), and Peyton Manning (Tennessee).
The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award bears the name of the man many refer to as the finest quarterback to ever play the game of football. Johnny Unitas played for the Baltimore Colts from 1956-1972. When he retired in 1973 after one year with San Diego, he left behind him records for: most pass attempts (5,186); most completions (2,830); most total yards (40,239); most touchdowns (290); most 300-yard games (26); and most consecutive games throwing touchdown passes (47). He also led the Colts to one Super Bowl Crown, three NFL championships, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979.
In addition to honoring a player with the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. has awarded more than $500,000 in scholarships to deserving scholar-athletes from local area high schools both in Maryland and Kentucky.
"Despite my Dad's outstanding accomplishments, he never forgot his humble beginnings, and this won him a permanent place in the hearts of all who ever knew him," notes Unitas, Jr. "Giving life to his commitment to ¥give back, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. was established to promote football on all levels by providing financial aid to deserving young athletes."
Brady Quinn will receive the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award at a ceremony to be held for the first time ever in Baltimore Friday, December 8, from 4-7 p.m. at the Tremont Grand Hotel (225 North Charles Street in Downtown Baltimore). Presenters at the awards ceremony will include former Golden Arm Award winner Rodney Peete and NFL Hall of Famer and former Baltimore Colt Raymond Berry.
The award ceremony is by invitation only. Members of the media, however, are invited to attend both the award presentation and a tour of Sports Legends Museum at Camden Yards attended by the Golden Arm Award winner, to be held earlier that afternoon.
The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award is presented by TransAmerica. Other sponsors include: Baltimores Tremonts, Smith Barney; Maple Leaf Title; Mortgage Seekers; MyAdBox; Round2 Communications; Southwest Airlines; Union Memorial Sports Medicine, Constellation NewEnergy, Black & Decker, Stanton Communications, Century Engineering and the Sports Legends Museum.
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