This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Green Bay, Wis. • When Aaron Rodgers needs to rekindle the feelings that drove his rise from a junior college quarterback to Super Bowl MVP, he doesn't have to look too far.
Rodgers held on to the many rejection letters he received from marquee college programs as he was coming out of high school. Even today, he leaves a few of them sitting out at his house.
"I chose the couple that I thought were most demeaning to display in a space in my house that really nobody is able to see but myself," Rodgers said. "It's something that I think is important to keep fresh on your mind. Maybe not every day, but once a week your eyes might pan across it and you have a little laugh about the journey you've been on — at the same time, remembering that there still are people out there that you can prove something to."
Rodgers is the 2011 Male Athlete of the Year, chosen by members of The Associated Press, after he turned in an MVP performance in the Green Bay Packers' Super Bowl victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in February and then went on to lead his team on a long unbeaten run this season.
Rodgers received 112 votes out of the 212 ballots submitted from U.S. news organizations that make up the AP's membership. Detroit Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander finished second with 50 votes, followed by tennis standout Novak Djokovic (21), Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Cam Newton (6) and NASCAR champion Tony Stewart (5).
Rodgers is one of three quarterbacks to receive the honor in the past five years. The New Orleans Saints' Drew Brees won in 2010 and the New England Patriots' Tom Brady won in 2007.
Around the league
Bears • Quarterback Josh McCown will start an NFL game for the first time in four years when he lines up behind center for the Bears at Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night.
Cowboys • Super Bowl ticket-holders displaced during the February seating fiasco at Cowboys Stadium filed court documents, renewing fraud claims against the NFL and the Dallas Cowboys. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is accused of recklessness in pushing for a new Super Bowl attendance record at the Cowboys' new stadium.
Steelers • Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison understands his helmet-to-helmet hit on Cleveland quarterback Colt McCoy was illegal by the letter of the law. He can also understand, grudgingly, why the NFL suspended him one game as punishment for a series of similar hits over the last 3 seasons. —
Week 16 schedule
Thursday
• Houston at Indianapolis, 6:20 p.m., NFL Network
Saturday
• Oakland at Kansas City, 11 a.m.
• Jacksonville at Tennessee, 11 a.m.
• St. Louis at Pittsburgh, 11 a.m.
• Denver at Buffalo, 11 a.m., Ch. 2
• Tampa Bay at Carolina, 11 a.m.
• Minnesota at Washington, 11 a.m.
• Cleveland at Baltimore, 11 a.m.
• Miami at New England, 11 a.m.
• N.Y. Giants at N.Y. Jets, 11 a.m., Ch. 13
• Arizona at Cincinnati, 11 a.m.
• San Diego at Detroit, 2:05 p.m.
• San Francisco at Seattle, 2:15 p.m.
• Philadelphia at Dallas, 2:15 p.m.
Sunday, Ch. 13
• Chicago at Green Bay, 6:20 p.m., Ch. 5
Monday
• Atlanta at New Orleans, 6:30 p.m., ESPN