If we talk about NFL rivalries, none was as epic as Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning. From 2001 to 2015, the two were constantly in the spotlight, playing in high-stakes games that fans wouldn’t dare to miss. It was must-see TV. Years later, Brady looks back on those games and reveals how he would get himself hyped up before taking the field, while also admitting that the rivalry pushed him to great heights.
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Rivalries are the lifeblood of sports. They encapsulate everything we love about them by elevating the overall experience. It’s where competition becomes fierce, fans become more engaged, and ordinary players become legends. This is exactly what happened between Brady and Manning when they played.
In his latest newsletter, TB12 reflected on that intense rivalry. But rather than gloating about his career record against Manning, he pointed out how tough it was to face his counterpart’s team.
“Rivalry is a uniquely intense kind of competition that challenges you physically, mentally, and emotionally,” Brady wrote in his newsletter The 199.
With a career record of 11-6 against Manning, it’s fair to say that Brady owned him. But Manning’s 3-2 postseason record against the GOAT shows that he wasn’t just a speed bump. Not to mention, his five regular-season MVPs make the two’s resumes look somewhat balanced.
Brady went on to explain how the rivalry he had with The Sheriff was important because it unlocked something deeper within him.
“When you realize the magnitude of a rivalry’s importance- to you, to your teammates, to fans- it can either shut you down or it can unlock a new level of focus that you might otherwise struggle to reach,” Brady penned.
It’s an interesting thing to note. Some players can elevate their game in intense, stressful environments. While others let the moment get to them and wilt. We’ve seen it time and time again with superstars and no-name players.
That’s why Brady believes you need to be as serious as you can be when approaching games against a rival.
“You have to allow your rivals to become your enemies. True enemies, in your mind and on the field,” Brady wrote. Furthermore, he revealed that he would antagonize Manning in his head before games.
“While we were competing against each other, I couldn’t let that get in the way of the fact that he was my enemy, that he didn’t respect me, that he thought he was better than me because he was a #1 pick from an SEC school- or at least that’s what I made myself believe,” Brady shared.
It’s a great way to motivate oneself. Even though Manning probably never thought he was better than Brady, the idea drove him to want to beat him. Sometimes that’s what it takes to mentally lock in against a rival.
Later on, the GOAT concluded by talking about how Manning was a gift to him and his career.
“Peyton Manning was a gift to my NFL career. I didn’t fully know it at the time, but I needed someone to look up to, who inspired me to be better, and who gave me a target to aim for,” Brady wrote.
Quite honestly, it’s what we all need in life. We all need a bar to aim for or a mark to shoot for in our careers. Having competition around only pushes you to be that much better.
That’s why, whenever Brady sees Manning in person today, he has just one thing to say to him.
“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, to dig deep in March and April and May when nobody was watching, and to have expectations for myself that were above and beyond what others thought was possible.”
All in all, both players got plenty out of the rivalry. It’s been mentioned in the same breath as Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird, or Lionel Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo. And while Brady may have convinced himself to hate Manning during their playing days, when he thinks back on it, that fire is what fueled him. Which is why he’s so grateful for the intense rivalry all these years later.
