Peyton Manning, Indianapolis
Colts
 Peyton Manning is only the fourth player to win both the Maxwell Award
as the nation's top college player and the Bert Bell Award as the top
professional player of the year. The others are Roger Staubach (Navy,
Dallas Cowboys), O.J. Simpson (Southern Cal, Buffalo Bills) and Barry
Sanders (Oklahoma State, Detroit Lions).
"You look at all the former winners, it's really a tremendous honor
to be on that same list and to have such great teammates and a coaching
staff that allowed me to go out and make plays," Manning said in
becoming the 45th Bert Bell Award winner.
Manning won his Maxwell Award in 1997, completing a brilliant career at
the University of Tennessee. He set 33 school records and was the first
player in Volunteer history to have his jersey retired. Indianapolis made
him the first pick in the NFL draft and he has started every game in his
six-year pro career, helping the Colts climb from also-rans to AFC
Southern Division champions.
The 2003 season was Manning's best to date as he led the NFL with 4,267
yards passing. He is the first quarterback in league history to
throw for more than 4,000 yards in five consecutive seasons. He also led
the AFC with 29 touchdown passes and now has thrown 25 or more touchdown
passes in each of the past six seasons.
"Right now, Peyton is the most efficient quarterback in the
game," Atlanta cornerback Ray Buchanan said after Manning riddled the
Falcons in a 38-7 rout in December. "He reminds me of Rich Gannon
(Oakland quarterback and Bert Bell winner, 2000 and 2002), first read,
second read, third read, knowing where the holes are in the zone. He was
picking us apart."
"I've never seen a guy with so much ability and dedication to
match," Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy told Peter King of Sports
Illustrated. "People can't imagine what he does in this offense and
how much we put on him, not only changing plays at the line but also
getting us in the right formations and protection schemes. We do things
casually that most teams can't do or wouldn't want to try."
The only reason the Colts try it, and win with it, is because they have in
Manning a quarterback with a rare combination of physical skill and
intelligence as well as a work ethic that includes hours of late night
film study which allows him to dissect even the best defenses.
The best example was Manning's Week Four performance in Tampa when he
rallied the Colts from a 35-14 deficit with three touchdown passes in the
final 3:37 of regulation to tie the score, then led them to a 38-35 win in
overtime. It was the first time in NFL history that a team overcame a
three-touchdown deficit in the final four minutes of a game and Manning
accomplished it against the defending Super Bowl champions in their home
stadium.
Afterwards, Colts running back Edgerrin James was asked if the comeback
shocked him. "Not when you have a quarterback like we have,"
James said. "Peyton is the man."
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