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Peyton Manning named SI Sportsman of the Year

Manning is only the eighth Pro Football player to win Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year award. It's pretty special that someone as competitive, classy, and - yes - sportsmanlike is a player for the Denver Broncos.

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Robert Beck./Sports Illustrated

The slate of awards that are sure to follow Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning's historic 2013 season has begun, as Manning has been named Sports Illustrated's 2013 Sportsman of the Year.

In 2013, Manning has led the Broncos to league highs in total offense (453.4 ypg), passing (333.6 ypg), receiving (344.4 ypg) and points scored (535). Manning's 47 touchdown passes during the Broncos' 11-3 start puts him four TDs away from breaking Tom Brady's record for most touchdowns thrown in a season.

Read the Sports Illustrated story here (it's excellent; SI Senior Writer Lee Jenkins interviewed over 30 people for the story). A comment from SI's Peter King --

"At first, when I knew we were considering Manning, I thought: good choice. Lifetime-achievement-award choice," says SI Senior Writer and NFL guru Peter King. "But if you isolate this year, you're looking at a player two years removed from four neck procedures that would have prompted many 35-year-old legends to choose retirement. He has his Super Bowl. He has his MVPs. Now he's on the verge of breaking the most important single-season quarterback records (touchdown passes and passing yards) in the 94-year history of the game. He threw seven touchdown passes against the defending Super Bowl champs. And he's got his team set to win the top seed in the AFC. Who plays his best-wounded, with so many great young guns chasing him-at 37?"

Manning is just one of eight professional football players to be named Sportsman. He joins Pete Rozelle (1963), Terry Bradshaw ('79), Reggie Williams ('87), Joe Montana ('90), Tom Brady (2005), Brett Favre ('07), and Drew Brees ('10).

Previous SI Sportsmen of the Year

1954

Roger Bannister, Track

1975

Pete Rose, Baseball

1995

Cal Ripken Jr., Baseball

1955

Johnny Podres, Baseball

1976

Chris Evert, Tennis

1996

Tiger Woods, Golf

1956

Bobby Morrow, Track

1977

Steve Cauthen, Horse Racing

1997

Dean Smith, College Basketball

1957

Stan Musial, Baseball

1978

Jack Nicklaus, Golf

1998

Mark McGwire, Baseball

1958

Rafer Johnson, Track

1979

Terry Bradshaw, Pro Football

Sammy Sosa, Baseball

1959

Ingemar Johansson, Boxing

Willie Stargell, Baseball

1999

U.S. Women's National Soccer Team

1960

Arnold Palmer, Golf

1980

U.S. Olympic Hockey Team

2000

Tiger Woods, Golf

1961

Jerry Lucas, College Basketball

1981

Sugar Ray Leonard, Boxing

2001

Randy Johnson, Baseball

1962

Terry Baker, College Football

1982

Wayne Gretzky, Pro Hockey

Curt Schilling, Baseball

1963

Pete Rozelle, Pro Football

1983

Mary Decker, Track

2002

Lance Armstrong, Cycling

1964

Ken Venturi, Golf

1984

Edwin Moses, Track

2003

Tim Duncan, Pro Basketball

1965

Sandy Koufax, Baseball

Mary Lou Retton, Gymnastics

David Robinson, Pro Basketball

1966

Jim Ryun, Track

1985

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Pro Basketball

2004

Boston Red Sox

1967

Carl Yastrzemski, Baseball

1986

Joe Paterno, College Football

2005

Tom Brady, Pro Football

1968

Bill Russell, Pro Basketball

1987

Athletes Who Care

2006

Dwyane Wade, Pro Basketball

1969

Tom Seaver, Baseball

1988

Orel Hershiser, Baseball

2007

Brett Favre, Pro Football

1970

Bobby Orr, Pro Hockey

1989

Greg LeMond, Cycling

2008

Michael Phelps, Swimming

1971

Lee Trevino, Golf

1990

Joe Montana, Pro Football

2009

Derek Jeter, Baseball

1972

Billie Jean King, Tennis

1991

Michael Jordan, Pro Basketball

2010

Drew Brees, Pro Football

John Wooden, College Basketball

1992

Arthur Ashe Tennis

2011

Pat Summitt, College Basketball

1973

Jackie Stewart, Auto Racing

1993

Don Shula, Pro Football

Mike Krzyzewski, College Basketball

1974

Muhammad Ali, Boxing

1994

Bonnie Blair, Speed Skating

2012

LeBron James, Pro Basketball

Johann Olav Koss, Speed Skating

2013

Peyton Manning, Pro Football

Congratulations to Peyton Manning for his first award! Let's hope League MVP -- and Super Bowl MVP -- are not far behind!