3000 Days After 24–0 Revenge, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady Revisit Rivalry of the Century

The on-the-field rivalry of NFL legends Peyton Manning and Tom Brady plays like a broken record in the NFL circle. 3000 days after one of the worse games of Hall of Famer Manning’s career, Brady and Manning came together to revisit some of the most epic moments from back in time. Well, wasn’t it a feast to watch these two veterans lock horns during those high-tension games?

In a recently released Omaha Production presented, Peyton’s Places Season 1 Episode 26, the ex-Broncos #18 relived some of ‘their epic battles’ with the 7x SB champ. It was while hitting some golf balls in Jim Nantz’s backyard. After almost 17 legendary match-ups, the pair’s emotional edge to the ‘behind-the-scenes’ of these games in this episode is a time travel into their battles.

Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are all about shared experiences

Tom Brady and Peyton Manning personify all the modern NFL symbolism and storylines. The ultimate NFL icons, Manning being the No. 1 overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft while Brady started off as the 199th pick in the sixth round, the two athletes came a long way in their careers. 

What’s more interesting is that the two greatest signal-callers of their time battled against each other in their 17 awe-inspiring match-ups dating back two decades. Now, 3000 days after his worse performance, a harsh 24-0 loss against Patriots back in ’03, HoF & Producer Manning reunites with his arch-rival TB12.

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In Peyton Places new episode, the two indulged in a golf match in the American sportscaster Jim Nantz’s backyard. In the five-minute video, Manning and Brady were initially seen discussing their humble beginnings when the legendary #18 introduced himself to an awe-struck TB12 for the first time.

After all, Brady looked up to him for his experience and ‘age’ as they looked back to their epic last series of match-ups. “It was a battle we knew we were going to be challenged at every level. It was a huge obstacle to overcome,” Brady recalled their ’07 match against Colts as the Patriots caught back from behind (21-3).

Manning, on the other hand, looked back to his last-minute ‘comeback like Brady’ as they touched down, with just 12 seconds remaining. Recalling their ’06 AFC match, he shared, “We remember being in the red zone, slant pass, and Marvin Harrison said to me, ‘We cannot score too quickly and give the ball back to Brady. Let’s run the ball.’ And everyone was like, ‘Marvin is gonna take a pass to himself and run?’ You know what? That’s smart. The idea of not giving you (Brady) the ball back…” That’s something. 

In a friendly back and forth, Tom Brady emphasized: “We never had any margin of errors when we played against you(Manning).”

The 2x SB champ responded: “When you hit Gronk in ’15 AFC, I prayed in Indianapolis, and cameras caught me. I just prayed that maybe Tom doesn’t win just one more championship and let me have a shot. And Gronk was waving his hand, and we won. I miss the competition’s rivalry. How hard and well I had to play to compete against you.”

Reminiscing their golden days, Tom Brady shed light on their shared experiences and said: “How relationships are built on shared experiences. And even though we haven’t had, you know, as many of these moments as we had on the game field, we still shared the same moment. There were different perspectives, okay, at the end of the day, when those emotions of the game wear off, you realize how special and unique they were for my life.” 

As they held their golf clubs, their eyes glittered as the two NFL veterans took a ride down memory lane. For a humble Manning, Brady remains the “king of comebacks”.

What makes their rivalry great?

In the twilight of their careers, Manning and Brady were exceptional players. Today, they possess the most impeccable resumes, having accomplished everything an NFL quarterback could only dream. Manning was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021. Brady, on the other hand, is a 7x SB champion, who continues to get massive endorsements from brands. 

Manning recently came out with a hit documentary “Quarterback”, taking views along the tough journey of a player in that crucial position. The Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks had humble beginnings. While Manning was drafted first overall in 1998, Brady was picked 199th in 2000.

While there have been greatest rivalries that built the tradition of the NFL, there’s never been a rivalry like the one that existed between these two. One instance can be traced back to 2001 when the Colts went to Foxboro to take on Tom Brady. The then-young athlete was in his second professional season at all the time.

Shockingly, Brady got the best of the proud Colts in their first matchup, and Patriots landed a 44-13 win. While passing for 168 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions, Brady came out glorious. This moment really got Manning thinking. Then came the  2003 regular season when even though Colts had the Patriot’s defense on a leash, Brady astonished the entire NFL fraternity, leading his team to a massive win.

The #18 has impressive stats, including 4 MVP awards and 1 Super Bowl MVP, but TB12 has 3 rings and 4 Super Bowl appearances, with a single-season touchdown record which almost puts him at power with the HoFer. It won’t be wrong to say that while Manning was a throwback, Brady was the heir to his legacy. Brady and Manning to Colts and Patriots. What more could one say to establish it as the ‘greatest rivalry’ of the NFL?

The beauty of this story is that Brady still looks up to Manning for the kind of experience that man comes with. What are your thoughts?

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