National Football League

Report: QB Manning named 'most powerful'

Published Jan. 27, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning was ranked Thursday by Bloomberg Businessweek as sport's most powerful athlete.

The Super Bowl-winning quarterback's yearly earnings are pegged at $30 million, with lucrative endorsement deals from Mastercard, Reebok, Gatorade and Oreo totaling $15 million. The four-time MVP was ranked fifth on the Power 100 list last year.

The list is based on an athlete's appeal to fans and advertisers as well as his or her sporting achievements.

Explaining the top ranking, Businessweek called Manning "marketable, recognizable, and down-to-earth."

Manning, 34, is working on a new contract with the Colts that is expected to make him the NFL's highest-paid player.

Among the notable droppers on the list were Tiger Woods and LeBron James. Woods was ranked No. 1 last year, but is now third after a tumultuous 2010 that saw him admit to numerous extramarital affairs and divorce from Elin Nordegren, while scoring no victories on the golf course.

James was second in 2010, but is now 11th after tarnishing his image with July's poorly conceived ESPN special in which he announced that he was leaving his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers to sign with the Miami Heat.

X-Games star Shaun White is ranked second this year, up from 51st in 2010. Businessweek calls the 24-year-old snowboarding-skateboarding star "an attractive athlete to brands that want to appeal to youth."

White earned $8.8 million last year, with notable endorsement deals from Red Bull, Target, and Oakley.

Golfer Phil Mickelson came fourth and Patriots quarterback Tom Brady fifth.

In compiling the annual rankings, Businessweek does not consider retired athletes, coaches, managers, owners or executives.