The NFL Pro Bowl used to be a fun event to close out the season just before the Super Bowl, drawing in plenty of fans. QBs and other positions would compete in various challenges to showcase their skills. In 2002, one of the most exciting battles took place as Peyton Manning and Tom Brady went head-to-head in the longest throw competition. A clip of that legendary showdown has now resurfaced, just days before this year’s Pro Bowl, giving modern fans a glimpse of how great the event once was.
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NFL skills games used to be much simpler back in the day. Today, players compete in modern events designed to appeal to a broader audience, yet they still fail to draw in viewers. So, it’s no surprise that netizens were left enamored by the simpler times when QBs simply launched the ball as far as they could. Each participant was given two chances to improve their record from the first throw, and if the ball landed out of bounds, the attempt wouldn’t count.
And since the landing zone wasn’t that large, even Brady had one go out of bounds, unable to improve his 65-yarder from his first attempt. “Can I get an extra throw?” he quipped after missing the mark.
However, Manning overcame Brady in his turn. Despite the wind being an issue, as the commentators announced, he launched a deep ball that went as far as 68 yards. His first attempt landed in the 64-yard range.
.@TomBrady, Peyton Manning and friends let it fly during the 2002 QB Challenge
: #ProBowlGames start Thursday 7pm ET on ESPN
: Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/rZrppYiElD— NFL (@NFL) January 28, 2025
Other classic QBs like Aaron Brooks, Doug Flutie, Jake Plummer, and Jeff Garcia were also involved. Brooks, the former Saints QB was the longest thrower of the group, first launching a 69-yarder, then improving it to a whopping 73 yards. Other QBs gave it their best, but none could surpass Brooks’ 69-yard mark, let alone reach 73.
It was a fun throwback post that stirred up nostalgia among many NFL fans. Today it’s somewhat rare to see QBs of that caliber attend the Pro Bowl. For example, Patriots rookie QB, Drake Maye, was just selected to attend the game. He had a respectable rookie season, but Maye only started 12 games. He’s a player you would’ve never seen in the Pro Bowl in 2002.
Naturally, most netizens wanted the NFL to bring back the good old days.
They need to bring it back
— Dadgelos (@Dadgelos) January 28, 2025
23 years ago now. Wild.
— Hashtagmath (@MathHashtag) January 28, 2025
The good old days!
— Ivy Malise (@JDoza1) January 28, 2025
One fan likened the dual between Peyton and Brady to the modern-day dual we see between the new faces of the AFC.
Classic! Allen better start beating Mahomes like Manning figured out how to start beating Brady!
— CEO Branding Expert (@Ceo_Branding) January 28, 2025
It would be great if one of these years Mahomes and Allen could have their seasons ended early so that they could compete in the contest. We could finally figure out who has the strongest arm in the NFL. We could also get a glimpse at some other star’s arm talent. Usually, it’s a lesser-known player like Aaron Brooks that wins contests like these. It would be interesting to see who that less-known player would be today.
