PEYTON MANNING
1/2/04
(on winning the NFL MVP award along with Tennessee QB-Steve McNair)
"It's a tremendous honor in my opinion. It's an honor to share it with someone like Steve, who is a player that I have a lot of respect for. I'm thankful for my teammates and the support of my coaches. I'm honored to win the award. It's been a fun regular season. I've put a lot of hard work into it. Obviously, it wouldn't be possible without great teammates, great coaches."
(on when he was told that he had won the league MVP)
"Coach told me at about 10:30 or 11:00. I called my wife, Ashley, and told her. I called my parents who are in Dallas for the Cotton Bowl. I called a writer who wanted to speak to Steve and I before it was announced, so I called him, gave him some responses on that and finished my meeting."
(on if his goal this year was to win the MVP)
"My goal has always been to get better every single year. I feel I have done that. I feel that I've used what I've learned in previous years. Being in my sixth year, it's uncharted for me. In college you've got your fourth year, high school a fourth year. Sixth year, I can really use all of the things that have happened to me in my first five years to my benefit. I feel like I've had some of the best weapons that I've ever had around me. The goal is to make it our best team year and we have a chance to do that on Sunday."
(on becoming a member of an elite list of previous MVP winners)
"I've always had great respect for the game. Somebody showed me a list of former winners and there are players on there that I have tremendous respect for. To be on there with Steve McNair is a tremendous honor because of the respect I have for him. I feel like it reflects on the team. I feel proud to win it on behalf of my teammates, the coaches and the Colts organization. I've always been a big admirer of the game, especially the history of the game and I've always had respect for it. It's a nice honor to be a small part of that."
(on being a part of a playoff team)
"This has been a fun team to play quarterback on. The exciting is that we get to keep doing it for hopefully, a little while longer. It's always fun to win. I have fun coming to work every day. I've got to give thanks to (offensive coordinator) Tom Moore and (quarterback coach) Jim Caldwell for really working with me. I enjoy doing what I'm doing, and I've always been taught that if you're ever not enjoying what you are doing, then you probably need to get out."
(on becoming the fourth Colt to win the MVP award)
"To be one of the four Colts that have won it, (John) Unitas and Earl Morrall and Bert Jones, that's tremendous company. I don't think I'm in that category, but anytime you can be on a list with somebody like John Unitas, it's pretty cool, I think."
(on if he set out to win the MVP when he first entered the NFL)
"When I came out of Tennessee, and being drafted as the number one pick, I felt an obligation to be a good football player. The Colts, for making the investment in me, for taking me number one, that was a huge choice on their part. I've always felt obligated to give them everything I've had. That's why I live here, built a home here, stay here and work hard in the off-season. Not to win any awards, but to be the best player I can be to help my team win games. That's the goal this year, to help keep winning games in this post-season and try to bring a championship here."
(on if he has more trust in his teammates this year)
"I've always had trust in my teammates. Our job is to score more than the other team, whether that's nine like we did against Cleveland or 38 like we did against Tampa. I have tremendous trust in all my teammates. I think you've got to have that to be on a winning team. If you don't have that, I think you're in big trouble. We've got a great bunch of guys in that locker room. Everybody feeds off of one another and likes one another. I think that's been a big part of why our team has been successful so far this year."
(on QB-Steve McNair)
"He's had a tremendous season. I know what our team has to get ready for every week when we have to play against them. When you play against him, you need to play well, because your defense is going to be challenged."
