Which Associated Press annual honor did Tom Brady win for 2007?
Answer
AP Male Athlete of the Year
Tom Brady won the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year award for 2007.
The honor recognized Brady’s extraordinary season with the New England Patriots, who went 16–0 in the regular season. He threw 50 touchdown passes, then an NFL record, while leading an offense that scored 589 points. The Patriots reached Super Bowl XLII but lost to the New York Giants, finishing 18–1 overall.
The AP Male Athlete of the Year award was broader than the NFL’s own MVP award. Brady won both in 2007: the AP NFL MVP honored his league performance, while the AP’s annual athlete award compared him with elite performers across American sports. He became the first NFL player to receive the AP male honor since Joe Montana won it in 1990.
The award is also distinct from AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year and AP Coach of the Year. Brady’s 2007 recognition reflected not just his position-specific statistics, but the national impact of the Patriots’ near-perfect season.