NEW ORLEANS — Adrian Peterson’s surprising comeback season earned him the surprise nod over Peyton Manning Saturday night as winner of the Associated Press’ NFL Most Valuable Player award.
The Vikings star, who also was voted the league’s offensive MVP, became the first running back since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006 to grab the overall MVP award after nearly breaking the league’s rushing record barely a year removed from a devastating knee injury.
Peterson’s upset of Manning headlined the list of individual league awards handed out during a glitzy ceremony coinciding with Super Bowl XLVII and the announcement of the latest Hall of Fame inductees.
Peterson said he hopes to repeat as MVP next year, but not be able to attend the ceremony because of preparations for “the most important award, the team award — the Super Bowl.”
Contending with Peterson for the biggest eye-opener of the night was the selection of Washington’s Robert Griffin III in a romp over fellow quarterbacks Andrew Luck of the Colts and Russell Wilson of the Seahawks as the AP’s Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Manning was chosen the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year for completing 69 percent of his passes with 37 touchdowns for Denver after missing all of the previous season because of multiple neck surgeries.
MVP voters, however, were more impressed by Peterson, who rushed for 2,097 yards, the second-highest total in league history. He came up just nine yards short of Eric Dickerson’s all-time single-season record in a Week 17 victory over the Packers that put Minnesota back in the playoffs.
Other awards went to new Arizona coach and former Indianapolis interim coach Bruce Arians (Coach of the Year), Houston’s J.J. Watt (Defensive Player of the Year) and Carolina’s Luke Kuechly (Defensive Rookie of the Year.)