Denver and Minneapolis Junior Achievement Offices to Each Receive $25,000 Grants from FedEx in Honor of Winning Players
NEW ORLEANS -- NFL fans have spoken, selecting Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning and Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson as the FedEx Air & Ground® NFL Players of the Year. The 10th annual awards, announced during the "2nd annual NFL Honors" show tonight in New Orleans, are a culmination of weekly awards presented by FedEx (NYSE: FDX) throughout the NFL season that gives football fans the ability to honor stand-out quarterback and running back performances each week while earning charitable donations for the winning players' cities.
Denver's Peyton Manning registered single-season franchise bests in passing yards (4,659), touchdown passes (37) and passer rating (105.8) in his first season with the Broncos. Manning's 37 touchdown passes and 105.8 passer rating led the AFC in 2012. In Week 17, Manning posted his 73rd career game with three or more touchdown passes, moving past Brett Favre (72) for the most in NFL history. He surpassed the 4,000 yard mark for the 12th time in his career to expand his NFL record for 4,000-yard seasons. Manning, who was selected as the AFC's starting quarterback for the 2013 Pro Bowl, led the Broncos to a 13-3 record and an AFC West crown. He was nominated for FedEx Air Player of the Week five times, winning once. Manning has been named FedEx Air Player of the Year twice before (2003, 2004).
Minnesota' s Adrian Peterson rushed his way into the history books finishing the year with 2,097 yards rushing, second-most in league history and just nine yards shy of breaking Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson's NFL record (2,105). Peterson, who was second in the NFL in carries (348), tied Earl Campbell for the most games with at least 150 rushing yards in a single season (seven). He scored 12 touchdowns on the ground and led the NFL in yards per game (131.1). Peterson accumulated 1,313 yards in eight games (Weeks 7 through 15), the most over any eight-game span in a single season in NFL history. Selected as the NFC's starting running back for the 2013 Pro Bowl, Peterson was nominated for FedEx Ground Player of the Week seven times, winning three times. This is the second time Peterson has been named FedEx Ground Player of the Year (2008).
Manning and Peterson were selected from a panel of three finalists in each of their respective Air and Ground categories. The other FedEx Air NFL Players of the Year finalists were quarterbacks Tom Brady of the New England Patriots and Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers, while the FedEx Ground NFL Players of the Year finalists included running backs Marshawn Lynch of the Seattle Seahawks and Alfred Morris of the Washington Redskins.
In honor of the winner's outstanding play, FedEx is donating $50,000 to the Junior Achievement USA offices in Denver and Minneapolis -- $25,000 in each player's market -- designated to help educate the next generation of entrepreneurs on how to start and grow their own businesses. In addition, as part of the Air & Ground program, FedEx made weekly donations of $2,000 to Junior Achievement in each of the winning players' names.
FEDEX AIR -- QUARTERBACK NOMINEES
Tom Brady, New England Patriots
Brady threw for an AFC best 4,827 yards in the 2012 regular season. His 34 touchdown passes helped lead the Patriots to a 12-4 record and another AFC East title making him the first starting quarterback in in NFL history to win 10 division titles. Brady extended his streak to 48 games with a least one touchdown pass, passing Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas (47) for the second-longest such streak in NFL history. He also became only one of five quarterbacks in NFL history to throw for over 4,000 yards at least five times in a career. Brady, who was selected to the 2013 Pro Bowl, was nominated for FedEx Air Player of the Week five times, winning three times.
Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos
Manning registered single-season franchise bests in passing yards (4,659), touchdown passes (37) and passer rating (105.8) in his first season with the Broncos. Manning's 37 touchdown passes and 105.8 passer rating led the AFC in 2012. In Week 17, Manning posted his 73rd career game with three or more touchdown passes, moving past Brett Favre (72) for the most in NFL history. He surpassed the 4,000 yard mark for the 12th time in his career to expand his NFL record for 4,000-yard seasons. Manning, who was selected as the AFC's starting quarterback for the 2013 Pro Bowl, led the Broncos to a 13-3 record and an AFC West crown. He was nominated for FedEx Air Player of the Week five times, winning once. Manning has been named FedEx Air Player of the Year twice before (2003, 2004).
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Rodgers finished the 2012 season as the NFL's leading passer (108.0) for the second consecutive season. Selected as the NFC's starting quarterback for the 2013 Pro Bowl, Rodgers threw for 4,295 yards and 39 touchdowns which was second best in the NFL. His 39 touchdown passes places him amongst Hall of Famer Dan Marino and Favre as the only quarterbacks in NFL history with three seasons of at least 30 touchdown passes before the age of 30. Rodgers, who directed the Packers to an 11-5 record on way to a division title, was nominated for FedEx Air Player of the Week three times, winning twice. Rodgers was named FedEx Air Player of the Year in 2010.
FEDEX GROUND -- RUNNING BACK NOMINEES
Marshawn Lynch, Seattle Seahawks
Lynch rushed for 1,590 yards on 315 carries in the 2012 regular season. His 1,590 yards ranks third all-time in franchise history. He scored 11 touchdowns and averaged 99.4 yards per game. En route to Seattle's 11 wins, Lynch gained 100 yards or more in 10 of the 16 games this season, finishing the year with four straight 100-plus yard performances (Weeks 14-17). Selected to the 2013 Pro Bowl, Lynch was nominated for FedEx Ground Player of the Week three times.
Alfred Morris, Washington Redskins
Morris finished the season with a franchise-best 1,613 yards rushing on 335 attempts. His 13 rushing touchdowns led the NFC and were the second-most in the NFL. He eclipsed the 100 yard mark seven times and reached 200 yards in a Week 17 win over the Dallas Cowboys for the NFC East title. Morris averaged 100.8 yards per game which was second overall in the NFL. The rookie stand-out was nominated and won FedEx Ground Player of the Week one time.
Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
Peterson rushed his way into the history books finishing the year with 2,097 yards rushing, second-most in league history and just nine yards shy of breaking Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson's NFL record (2,105). Peterson, who was second in the NFL in carries (348), tied Earl Campbell for the most games with at least 150 rushing yards in a single season (seven). He scored 12 touchdowns on the ground and led the NFL in yards per game (131.1). Peterson accumulated 1,313 yards in eight games (Weeks 7-15), the most over any eight-game span in a single season in NFL history. Selected as the NFC's starting running back for the 2013 Pro Bowl, Peterson was nominated for FedEx Ground Player of the Week seven times, winning three times. Peterson was named FedEx Ground Player of the Year in 2008.