The Associated Press has announced that the Green Bay Packers Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has won the 2011 Most Valuable Player.
Rodgers beat out fellow signal-callers Drew Brees and Tom Brady for his first-ever MVP Award. He was without a doubt the best player in the league while throwing for 4,653 yards, 45 touchdowns and only six interceptions. Rodgers also used his speedy legs to rush for three more touchdowns in the 2011 season.
Rodgers doesn’t have the Packers in the Super Bowl, but overall can’t be too upset with being named the top player in the league for 2011. Not too bad for a guy who wasn’t even considered elite until he led the Packers to a Super Bowl win just a year ago (where he was also named MVP).
The amazing aspect of Rodgers’ 2011 season was how his numbers stack up with those of Brady and Brees despite playing one less game. In the game Rodgers sat out (because the Packers had a No. 1 seed locked up), Flynn had his coming out party, including a franchise best six touchdowns and 480 passing yards. It’s impossible to say Rodgers would have had the same numbers, but I’m betting they wouldn’t have been far off.
Even though the Giants knocked off the Packers in a divisional playoff match-up, it doesn’t take away from an impressive 15-1 season where Rodgers was the focal point. And after all, the MVP award is a regular season award.
Rodgers took part in the new and semi-entertaining award show, “NFL Honors,” including a spot where he introduced the Baltimore Ravens Terrell Suggs as the Defensive Player of the Year.
The next question for the Packers superstar quarterback is whether he’s better than the longtime great, Brett Favre. They share the same amount of Super Bowl rings (1), but Favre still has the edge in MVP Awards with three.
In other team-related news, wideout Randall Cobb won the NFL’s Play of the Year for his kick-off return in the first game of the season. Video for he 108 yard return for a touchdown can be found by clicking here!
Do you think Aaron Rodgers is better than Favre or does he have some more work to do? Let me know by commenting below!
Nick Grays is a senior writer at the Sports Bank where he covers the Wisconsin Badgers, Green Bay Packers, and Milwaukee Brewers. He also enjoys to share Fantasy Advice from time-to-time. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here or visit his blog Nick Knows Best.