Indianapolis Colts' Peyton Manning Named NFL MVP by Associated Press Panel

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning has been selected the NFL's 2008 Most Valuable Player by an Associated Press panel of sports writers.

Manning wins the award after a 2008 in which he played through knee pain and led his team from a rocky start to a 12-4 finish. On the season, he completed 66.8% of his passes, with 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. His 4,002 passing yards made it the ninth time in his career that he exceeded the 4,000-yard mark.

Of the 50 media voters, 32 selected Manning. Second place was a tie between Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington and Falcons running back Michael Turner, with four votes each. Via PFT, the other votes went to Steelers linebacker James Harrison (3), Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (3), Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (2), Titans running back Chris Johnson (1), and Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner (1).

Manning joins Brett Favre as the only player to win the AP MVP award three times. Manning shared the award with Steve McNair in 2003 and won it outright with 49 of 50 votes in 2004. Favre won the award outright in 1995 and 1996 and shared it with Barry Sanders in 1997.

Manning won't have long to celebrate. The Colts are headed to San Diego for a wild card playoff game against the Chargers tomorrow night.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

1-02-2009 @ 12:07PM

Adam said...

An uninspired pick. Ed Reed should have gotten it.

1-02-2009 @ 12:31PM

David said...

I agree with the Peyton Manning pick for MVP. I think Adrian Peterson should have more consideration, however. I don;t think there are many players more important to their teams success than he is.

1-02-2009 @ 1:31PM

shakeman65 said...

Yes A.P. is very important to his team but you don't become the best by fumbling the football all the time. He has fumbled the ball more this year than the greatest runningback of all times(Walter Payton) had in his whole career.

1-02-2009 @ 1:54PM

Completely Useless said...

Nobody gave him much respect, but I think Michael Turner was the MVP this year. The Falcons wouldn't have won nearly as many games without that guy.

1-02-2009 @ 2:38PM

niki said...

This is a JOKE! Peyton is a disgrace to the NFL.

1-02-2009 @ 3:07PM

Jon said...

Peyton should not be the MVP, Kerry Collins should have gotten the MVP before Peyton, at least he took a team that stunk to the best record in the NFL as a back up.

1-02-2009 @ 5:17PM

richey818 said...

Payton should have gotten,but he really needs to play alot better than he has in some of the previous playoffs, to have a chance to repeat the superbowl.

1-02-2009 @ 7:53PM

Hey said...

How the hell my man DeAngelo Williams didn't get any votes???

1-02-2009 @ 8:26PM

dm said...

Peyton Manning is an overrated weasel. Both his brother and his washed-up bum father are also a couple of weasels.

1-03-2009 @ 12:08AM

richs said...

no way,

kurt warner took the cardinals to the top.
last few games were meaningless
they dont count. playoffs will tell the story tell e,james stop crying.play football for the team.

1-03-2009 @ 8:39AM

Rich said...

Are you kidding me? Kerry Collins without a doubt. I'm an Eagles fan and what Collins did for Tenn. is outstanding. Again, here we have a group of morons who only select Manning becuase he make commercials and little kids like him becuase Manning world gets shuved down their troughts. Please! And they are trying to encourage him to win another super bowl. For who, for what? (who said that?) R.W.

1-04-2009 @ 10:13AM

Justin said...

Manning, huh? I guess that's a good pick, since this year there wasn't some middle aged has-been QB miraculously leading a consistently failing team to the playoffs for the first time in decades, or a no-name back-up QB stepping up to lead a team to an 11 win season, or a supposedly dead-armed QB turning a 1-15 team into a playoff franchise. Nope, no record sack duo from Pittsburgh or defensive machine in the Baltimore secondary. Not a back to the wall leader in San Diego, or a running machine that carried on when the air game didn't start. Nope, not a thing like that this year; the AP really did their homework. Now, if we could only unwind them from Manning's little finger...