Packers QB Rodgers wins fourth MVP award

Give Aaron Rodgers a fourth AP Most Valuable Player Award.

The Green Bay quarterback who led the Packers to the best record in the NFL during the 2021 season, became the second player with at least four NFL MVPs; Peyton Manning won it five times.

Following offseason turmoil surrounding whether Rodgers wanted to play in Green Bay, then one of his worst career performances in an opening loss to New Orleans, Rodgers got rolling. So much so that he took his second straight award, receiving 39 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league.

Tampa Bay QB Tom Brady was second with 10 votes in balloting revealed at NFL Honors. Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp, this season’s Offensive Player of the Year, received the other vote.

The commotion continued in the regular season over Rodgers’ vaccination status -- he missed one game when testing positive for COVID-19 and needing a 10-day quarantine after earlier saying he had been “immunized.” But he pretty much shrugged it off and wound up throwing for 37 touchdowns, a league-low seven interceptions, an NFL-high 111.9 passer rating, while also dealing with a toe injury that limited his mobility.

Rodgers also won the award in 2011 and 2014. He’s the fifth Packer to win MVP, joining his predecessor, Brett Favre (1995, ’96 and ’97), plus three stars of the Vince Lombardi team: Paul Hornung in 1961, Jim Taylor in 1962 and Bart Starr in 1966.

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Cooper Kupp has added the AP Offensive Player of the Year award to his triple crown of receiving for the 2021 season.

The Rams wideout led the NFL with 138 receptions, 1,829 yards receiving and 15 touchdown catches while leading Los Angeles to the NFC West title. A unanimous All-Pro, he received 35 votes from a