CHARLOTTE – Veteran Panthers linebacker James Anderson has been selected as this year's winner of the Tom Berry Good Guy Award by the Carolinas chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America.
The award is named after Tom Berry, the long-time Panthers beat writer for the High-Point (N.C.) Enterprise. Berry passed away near the start of the 2009 season and members of the Carolinas chapter of the PFWA decided to start an award in his honor. Each year, the award goes to the player the local writers believe is most helpful to the media.
"Tom Berry was a man of high integrity and a true professional," said ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas, who serves as the NFC South representative on the PFWA's board of directors. "The Carolina writers described James the same way, as someone who is cooperative and courteous to the media at all times."
Last year, Anderson set the franchise single-season tackle record that has since been broken by rookie linebacker Luke Kuechly.
Anderson, who has started all 12 games he's played in, has 73 tackles this season. He set a single-game team record with 20 tackles against the New York Giants in Week 3.
Anderson has been with the Panthers since 2006 and was chosen unanimously. Cornerback Captain Munnerlyn was last year's winner. Offensive tackle Jordan Gross won in 2010 and Brad Hoover won the inaugural award in 2009.
