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Manning Earns Third MVP

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A Tribune staff, wires report

Published: January 3, 2009

NEW YORK - Peyton Manning took a different approach to earning a record-tying third Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player award.

The Indianapolis Colts quarterback got hurt, struggled when he came back, then lost a bunch of games. Hardly vintage Manning.

But when he rediscovered the touch that has made him one of football's dominant players for a decade, Manning and the Colts were virtually unstoppable.

Now Manning can tell Brett Favre to move over and make room for him atop the roster of MVPs.

"I really feel like it's a team award," Manning said Friday. "Just what our team went through this year and the way we responded and bounced back to a little bit of football adversity at the beginning of the season, being 3-4.

"It's been the most rewarding regular season that I've been a part of in my 11 years, and I have to believe a lot of the other players and even coaches might feel the same way."

Manning received 32 votes in balloting by a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL. He also was the league MVP in 2003, when he shared it with Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair, and in 2004.

Favre, then with Green Bay, took MVP honors in 1995 and '96 before sharing it with Detroit running back Barry Sanders in 1997.

Bucs TE Coach Won't Return

TAMPA - The Bucs are officially on the lookout for a new tight ends coach.

Bob Casullo, who has coached Bucs tight ends for the last two years, will not be retained by the team.

Casullo, who came to the Bucs following a stint as special teams coordinator with the Seattle Seahawks, joins Larry Coyer on the list of Bucs assistants who will not be brought back for the 2009 season.

Another coach who may not be back with the Bucs, of course, is defensive coordinator Raheem Morris. Morris is one of the candidates pegged as a possible replacement for Mike Shanahan in Denver.

Morris is slated to meet with the Broncos brass in Denver on Wednesday.

The Bucs may also be on the lookout for two new personnel directors as the contracts of Mark Dominik, the Bucs' director of pro personnel, and personnel executive Doug Williams are due to expire.

BILLS: Safety Ko Simpson was arrested outside a bar in his hometown of Rock Hill, S.C., after he refused to leave officers alone as they arrested another man.

BRONCOS: Owner Pat Bowlen and chief operating officer Joe Ellis will meet in New York today with Steve Spagnuolo, who has been the Giants' defensive coordinator the past two seasons.

Reporter Roy Cummings contributed to this report. Keyword: Super Florida to cast your vote for the Super Bowl's All-Florida Team.

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