Adam Taliaferro, the Penn State football player who suffered a serious spinal injury in September, will be among the honorees Tuesday, Feb. 20 at the Maxwell Football Club's 64th annual awards dinner at the Adam's Mark Hotel in Philadelphia.

Taliaferro will receive the Spirit Award from the Maxwell Club in recognition of his "courage, heart and faith in God, which enabled him to overcome tremendous adversity."

Taliaferro, 19, has made incredible progress in his rehabilitation since his transfer to Magee Rehabilitation Hospital in Philadelphia on Oct. 6. A freshman cornerback, he was injured Sept. 23 in the Nittany Lions' game at Ohio State and initially was unable to move his hands, fingers, legs, feet and toes. Since then, Adam has regained use of his extremities and is now able to walk on his own over short distances or with a cane for longer distances.

The Voorhees, N.J. native was released from Magee on Jan. 5 and has continued his rehabilitation at Magee as an outpatient every weekday since. His therapy sessions were reduced to two hours a day as he makes progress.

Besides Taliaferro, other notable honorees at the Maxwell Dinner include: Purdue quarterback Drew Brees, winner of the Maxwell Award; Oakland Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon, recipient of the Bert Bell Award as NFL Player of the Year and Don Shula, winner of the Reds Bagnell Award, which was presented to Nittany Lion football coach Joe Paterno last year.