How do Aaron Rodgers’ MVP campaigns compare to Peyton Manning’s best years?
Aaron Rodgers and Peyton Manning are two of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. This is especially true in the regular season. A strong case can be made that they are the two absolute best regular-season quarterbacks of all time. A major reason for this statement being legitimate is the way they have dominated the NFL MVP award during their careers.
Just nine players in NFL history have won multiple NFL MVP awards during their careers. Three of these players have won the award twice, while four have taken it home three times. Aaron Rodgers stands alone in second place with four MVP awards, while Peyton Manning's five are the most MVP winners by any NFL player ever.
Rodgers and Manning have each put together some of the most impressive NFL MVP seasons of all time. That said, let's take a look at how they stack up against each other.
Aaron Rodgers' NFL MVP seasons
Aaron Rodgers has always been better known for his efficiency than his counting stats. While he has never led the NFL in passing yards, he has recorded the best passer rating four times. He also has the best touchdown-to-interception ratio in NFL history.
Rodgers won his first NFL MVP award during the 2011 NFL season when he also won his only Super Bowl ring. He won the award again for the 2014 NFL season, then followed that up by winning it in back-to-back years for the 2020 and 2021 seasons. He led the entire league in passer rating for three of his MVP seasons.
Aaron Rodgers' best statistical season was during his 2020 MVP campaign with the Green Bay Packers. He led the NFL in touchdowns for the second time in his career, while also leading in completion percentage for the first time.
Peyton Manning's NFL MVP seasons
Peyton Manning led the NFL in passing yards three times and touchdowns four times. Three of those seasons were a part of one of his NFL record five MVP campaigns. He is also the only player ever to win back-to-back NFL MVP awards twice. He did so in 2002 and 2003, then again in 2008 and 2009, all with the Indianapolis Colts.
Manning's fifth and final MVP was awarded for his 2013 NFL season with the Denver Broncos. This was the best statistical season of his career and is considered by many to be the greatest individual season by any quarterback in league history. He put up records of 5,477 passing yards and 55 passing touchdowns.
The historic 2013 season gave Peyton Manning's overall MVP performance a slight edge over Aaron Rodgers' as a whole. The fact that he has also won an additional MVP award further confirms his lead.