NEW YORK -- For all their achievements, past Most Valuable

Players John Unitas, Dan Marino and Joe Montana never had a season

like Tom Brady's 2007.

Tom Brady rewrote the NFL record book in 2007 and earned all but one MVP vote. Photo by Evan Pinkus/Getty Images

The New England Patriots' record-setting quarterback added The

Associated Press NFL MVP award Saturday in the same manner his team

romped through its schedule, going 16-0. On the way to the first

unbeaten regular season since Miami went 14-0 in 1972, Brady put on

a performance for the ages, which earned him all but one vote from

a nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the

league.

"I have always been a huge football fan and will always have

great respect for the history of this game," Brady said. "I am

flattered to join such an esteemed list of players, many of whom I

consider the greatest of all time. I hope that I can set as great

of an example for kids around the world as the previous MVPs did

for me.

"I am grateful to all of the voters for any consideration I was

given. It is a tremendous honor and I am sure it is one that my

family will one day look back on with great pride."

Brady is the first Patriot selected NFL MVP. He drew 49 of the

50 votes from a nationwide panel of media members who regularly

cover the NFL. Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre, the only

three-time MVP, got the other vote.

The eight-year veteran who already has won three Super Bowls

helped the Patriots tear through the record books by throwing for

50 touchdowns. He beat Peyton Manning's league mark by one, and

also threw 23 of those TD passes to Randy Moss, which lifted the

receiver past Jerry Rice's record of 22.

New England scored 589 points, another record, as was the

Patriots' 75 touchdowns. Brady led the NFL with a 117.2 passer

rating -- no, not another record, but close to Manning's 121.1 in

2004. Only one full-time AFC starter, Jacksonville's David Garrard,

had fewer than Brady's eight interceptions. And Brady threw 253

more passes than Garrard.

Brady also was tops with a 68.9 completion percentage, and his

4,806 yards were 383 more than runner-up Drew Brees of New Orleans.

Brady joins a roster of AP MVPs that includes quarterbacks

Unitas, Bart Starr, Fran Tarkenton, Marino, Montana, John Elway and

Steve Young -- all Hall of Famers.