Aaron Rodgers an Easy Choice for AP Male Athlete of the Year

The only thing surprising about Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers winning the AP Male Athlete of the Year is that it was not unanimous.

Rodgers has had an amazing year that began with an improbable playoff run that culminated with the Packers winning Super Bowl on the strength of Rodgers' MVP performance. Over the past year, Rodgers is 18-1 as a starting QB.

Here is how the Associated Press reported the results:

"

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, Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Cam Newton and NASCAR champion Tony Stewart.

"

These were all deserving candidates, but they didn't have a hope of competing with Rodgers after he turned in a year of mind-blowing performances in the nation's King of the sports landscape.

Super Bowl Run

2011 began with the Packers needing to close out the season with a victory in Chicago against the Bears to squeak into the playoffs. The Packers won that game and haven't looked back since.

Green Bay entered the playoffs as the wild card. That meant they had to play all of their playoff games on the road.

Rodgers was superb in the playoffs throwing for nine touchdowns and just two interceptions. He also saved his best performance for last.

Rodgers torched the vaunted Steelers defense by 24-for-39 for 304 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, and was named the game's MVP.

He did not slow down this season. If fact, he has gotten better.

2011 Season

Rodgers has been simply sublime this year. He is turning one of the best seasons the quarterback position has ever seen.

Through 14 weeks of play he has a QB rating of 120.1. That would be good for the second best mark ever and is just one point behind Peyton Manning's all-time mark.

Just take a look at his stats this year.

Breaking down his stats per game you find he has been a model of consistency. The guy has been a fantasy owner's dream and an opposition's nightmare.

Year of the Belt

Over the past year, Rodgers has gone from a promising young QB to one of the faces of the league. His face appears on numerous commercials and his belt celebration is become a part of pop culture.

It has been a meteoric rise for the 28-year-old, and the way he is going, he does not appear to be done rising.