He’s done it again; an Associated Press article located on ESPN.com yesterday reported that Peyton Manning was named the AP NFL MVP.  This marks the fourth time he’s earned the award, breaking the tie between him and Brett Favre for the most all-time.

If there is anyone in sports that is the most valuable part of their team, it’s definitely Peyton Manning.  He led the Indianapolis Colts to a 14-0 start in 2009 with his 4,500 passing yards and 33 Touchdown passes, all with a first year head coach and two rookie receivers that made a significant impact.  Out of the 50 possible votes for MVP, Manning received 39.5 votes, with Drew Brees taking a distant second with 7.5 votes.

Manning has shown his consistency and durability throughout his entire 12-year career; he has started every single game since his rookie season, which includes 192 games during the regular season and 15 playoff games.  What makes him so impressive is that is doesn’t matter who lines up with him on Sunday, he’s going to get the job done.

For years, Receiver Marvin Harrison was Manning’s favorite target.  However, once Indianapolis wanted to use younger receivers, it looked as if nothing changed.  In 2009, Anthony Gonzalez was supposed to replace Harrison, but he injured his knee in Week 1.  So, Manning used Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Austin Collie, and Pierre Garcon on offense to become only the 3rd team in NFL history to start a season 14-0.

His work ethic is amazing; he studies game tape and works with his receivers as much as he possibly can.  When you see Peyton Manning go to work in the week leading up to the game, you would think he’s a rookie trying to establish himself, not one of the best quarterbacks ever to play the game.

Winning his fourth league MVP now puts Manning in elite company. Wayne Gretzky (NHL-9), Barry Bonds (MLB-7), and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (NBA-6) each lead their respective leagues in MVP awards.  Now, you can add Manning to that list, and at only 33 years old, I’m sure he’ll be adding to his collection in the next few years.