Tom Brady has expressed his respect for Peyton Manning in the past, and the legend has reiterated that once again. In his weekly newsletter, “Every champion needs a rival,” Brady credited Manning with his success on the gridiron.
Tom Brady Honors Peyton Manning
The two legendary quarterbacks, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, defined an era in the NFL. Only a few rivalries have had the impact that these two have had on the gridiron. The two dominated the league most of their careers, facing each other four times in the AFC Championship game.
Manning entered the league two seasons ahead of Brady, and they batted in some of the most high-stakes games of their iconic careers.
While Brady often downplayed his iconic rivalry with Manning, fans clearly knew there was more to that.
The undisputed NFL GOAT wrote in his newsletter, “199,” that he would not have achieved the same level of success without Manning constantly pushing him year after year.
He expressed his appreciation and admiration for Manning.
“Peyton Manning was a gift to my NFL career. I maybe didn’t fully know it at the time, but I needed someone to look up to, who inspired me to be better and gave me a target to aim for,” Brady wrote.
Brady admits he may not have realized it during his time in the league, but he now understands that if it were not for Manning, he would not have become the player he was.
“Now, when I see him, the only thing I can say is thank you. Thank you for challenging me to be the best I could be, dig deep in March, April, and May when nobody was watching, and have expectations for myself that were above and beyond what others thought was possible,” Brady continued.
The rivalry between the two was truly special and inspiring at the same time. Statistically, Brady finished with an 11-6 overall record against Manning.
The two had an intense rivalry over the course of their legendary careers, and based on Brady’s recent reflections, it is clear that Peyton Manning was the force that pushed him to greatness.
