Peyton Manning and Tom Brady’s rivalry is undoubtedly one of the greatest in NFL history. So, when Manning made a surprise appearance during Brady’s Patriots Hall of Fame induction recently, the mutual respect between the two legends warmed fans’ hearts. As they reminisced about their journey together, Peyton harked back to the first time he met Tom before a matchup and a “brief conversation” that left a lasting impression.
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Tom Brady made his debut as the Patriots’ starting quarterback against Peyton’s Colts, and as Manning recalled, he decided to introduce himself before kickoff. He was instantly struck by the rookie’s composure, appearing remarkably “calm, cool, and composed” for someone making their first career start.
Years later, discussing that 44-13 loss in 2001, Peyton even joked about the number of interceptions he tossed that day,
“I don’t think anybody could have predicted what was coming, but to see the composure and just how calm and cool he was in the pocket that day. That was very impressive to me for a guy making his first NFL start.”
And indeed, their rivalry was a treat for the eyes. For fans, it was one of those memories where the result mattered less than the intensity and level of competition, as both quarterbacks understood they were facing an elite opponent worthy of immense respect.
Moreover, stat-savvy fans would point out that Brady won 11 of their 17 head-to-head meetings. But as Peyton reflected, it was tough sledding against Brady once that debut set him on his path, a path that was already being celebrated that night.
Manning Details The Hardest Thing About Playing Against Brady
For someone who was deprived of championships after getting defeated by Tom Brady and his Patriots time and again, it can’t be easy to speak about what made it so difficult to face an intense rival. Yet, Peyton Manning, while sharing the stage alongside Brady, candidly discussed what he believed were the hardest parts about facing the legend.
Manning described that the overarching tactic was always to not give Brady the slightest chance to get his offensive sorcery going in the final moments of the game. Coach Dungy would often instruct Peyton to leave less than 6 seconds on the clock after taking the lead to prevent Brady from showcasing his last-minute excellence.
“If you were down by a field goal or even four points and you were driving to possibly win the game on a two-minute drill,” Peyton recounted, “I remember Coach Dungy would say, ‘Peyton, we want you to score and take the lead, but only do it with about 6 seconds left. We don’t want Tom Brady to have any time to have the drive.'”
That was the level of thought and strategy that went into game-planning against Brady. Tom was the “ultimate competitor,” and he always wanted the ball whenever there was even the slightest opportunity to march down the field and score the winning touchdown. So, after a while, when Peyton saw the final drive of the game heading Brady’s way, he knew they had made the situation tough for themselves.
Tom Brady actually had Peyton praying on the sidelines, and as he admitted with a smile, “I never pray on the sidelines.” But Tom was that one exceptional force that could make even the great Peyton Manning break his own rules.
