New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning was voted the winner of the Pete Rozelle Trophy, awarded to the Super Bowl XLVI Most Valuable Player.
The award is chosen by a panel comprised of 16 members of the Pro Football Writers Association of America, selected members of the electronic broadcast media and interactively through the National Football League's official website, NFL.com. Manning collected 18.5 votes of the possible 20 cast in the MVP voting process.
Manning hit nine different receiving targets and completed 30 of 40 passes for 296 yards and one touchdown for a passer rating of 103.8. Manning rallied the Giants from a 17-9 third-quarter deficit while leading scoring drives on three of the team's four second-half possessions.
Manning, in his eighth season, orchestrated an 88-yard touchdown drive that began at the Giants' 12 yard-line with 3:53 left in the game. On the first play of the drive, he connected with wide receiver Mario Manningham on a 38-yard completion along the Patriots' sideline. The pass completion was the longest by either quarterback in Super Bowl XLVI. Manning completed five of six passes for 74 yards on the drive, which ended when running back Ahmad Bradshaw scored on a six-yard touchdown run with :57 remaining that put the Giants ahead 21-17 (two-point conversion failed).
Manning began Super Bowl XLVI by completing his first nine passes for 76 yards and a two-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Victor Cruz that gave the Giants a 9-0 lead. The nine straight completions set a Super Bowl record for consecutive completions to begin a Super Bowl. In the first half of play, Manning completed 13 of 17 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown.
Manning is the first New York Giants player to win the Rozelle Trophy multiple times, having also been voted the MVP of Super Bowl XLII. Previous Giants Super Bowl MVPs include quarterback Phil Simms (Super Bowl XXI), running back Ottis Anderson (Super Bowl XXV) and Manning (Super Bowl XLII). He is the fifth player in NFL history to win multiple Super Bowl MVP honors (Joe Montana, three; Tom Brady, Terry Bradshaw and Bart Starr, two).
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