Record-breaking quarterbacks dominate SI's year-end honors
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Aaron Rodgers
Quarterback, Packers
Rodgers had more touchdown passes (45), more yards (4,643) and better accuracy (68.3%)—all by far—than Brett Favre had in any of his three MVP seasons with the Packers. He set a record for passer rating (122.5) for a team that won 15 games in the regular season.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Drew Brees
Quarterback, Saints
Brees gets this for breaking Dan Marino's 27-year-old NFL record for passing yards in a season (and he did it with a game to spare) and for general excellence. That yardage record (5,476) and Brees's phenomenal accuracy (a record 71.2%) are the reasons he beats out Rodgers in this category.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR