New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees has claimed that the effort players put in during the Pro Bowl comes down to "pride".

The league's best players that did not make the Super Bowl will take part in the annual event this Sunday, which will be the first Pro Bowl since major changes were made to the match.

Instead of being a contest between the NFC and AFC, this year's game will see two Hall of Famers - Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders - draft two teams of their own to face each other.

Brees was selected by Rice as the first pick overall, and when asked how players balance the demands of playing hard and avoiding injury, he expressed his belief that it came down to personal standards.

"What it comes down to is just pride - pride in your effort and your performance," Brees told the Associated Press.

Rice and Sanders drafted their first set of players yesterday and will complete the roster picks later today ahead of Sunday's showdown.