Peter King's 2011 Awards

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