IRVING, Texas — Earlier this week, the Cowboys' DeMarcus Ware was disappointed not to be named The Associated Press' Defensive Player of the Year.

But as the week draws to a close, things have improved for Ware as he has been named an All-Pro and has become the first NFL player to receive the Butkus Award as the league's best linebacker.

Hall of Fame Chicago Bears linebacker Dick Butkus will present the award to Ware on Tuesday at a banquet in Chicago, along with the winners from high school (Manti Te'o, of Punahou School) and college (Wake Forest's Aaron Curry).

The award has been given out every year since 1985 to the top college linebacker in the country. This is the first year there is a high school and a professional winner.

The NFL's Butkus Award goes to the "complete and best linebacker" in the game, as chosen by a panel of 51 voters made up of college and NFL coaches, media and personnel people.

"It's a great thing to be the first of anything, especially to be nominated for something like the Butkus Award," said Ware, who was named to the NFL's All-Pro team for the third straight year. "To be known as the most well-rounded linebacker, you have to able to drop into coverage, rush the passer but also to be able to stop the run when it comes at you."

Ware received 15 first-place votes and was named on every ballot but one.

Ware finished second to Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison in the Defensive Player of the Year voting despite leading the league with 20 sacks and also forcing seven fumbles. Ware was credited by the Cowboys coaches with 110 tackles, 20 quarterback hurries, eight tackles for losses and three pass deflections last season.

"The criteria is a three-down player who's not taken out and not a specialty player, like a lot of them are," Butkus said. "I'm very happy with the choice. He's an impact player. He goes after it. That's what I like."

Butkus and his son, Matt, came up with the idea of adding high school and NFL winners a few years ago to help raise money and awareness for the I Play Clean campaign to end steroid abuse among young athletes. Plano's Don Hooton, whose son Tyler took his life after getting involved with steroids, is also part of the initiative.

"It's great there's an award named after me, but, OK, how can we use this to do good?" Butkus said. "And we thought of adding a high school and pro award that will help perpetuate the I Play Clean message."

Briefly: Tight end Jason Witten earned second-team All-Pro honors after being on the first team in 2007. Guard Leonard Davis, nose tackle Jay Ratliff and cornerback Terence Newman also received votes.

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