Tom Brady, often referred to as the greatest of all time (GOAT) in the NFL, recently praised his longtime rival Peyton Manning as the ‘gold standard’ for quarterback play. During his Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Brady expressed his admiration for Manning and the impact he had on his career.
Brady acknowledged that Manning served as a role model for him to aspire to be like and credited him as the benchmark for quarterback excellence. Manning, who was present at the ceremony to honor Brady, shared a light-hearted moment by joking about his lack of success against Brady’s teams in Foxborough.
The historic rivalry between Brady and Manning began when Brady secured his first NFL victory against Manning’s Colts and continued as the two quarterbacks dominated the league. Despite Brady winning the majority of their matchups, Manning held a winning record against Brady-led teams in the playoffs, particularly in AFC Championship games.
Together, Brady and Manning amassed an impressive collection of accomplishments, including multiple Super Bowl victories, conference titles, league MVP awards, and Super Bowl MVP honors. Despite their competitiveness on the field, the mutual respect between the two legendary quarterbacks is evident in their gestures of attending each other’s Hall of Fame ceremonies.
Manning expressed his gratitude for being present at Brady’s ceremony and promised to reciprocate the gesture when Brady is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the future. The bond between Brady and Manning transcends their on-field rivalry, highlighting the camaraderie and respect shared among elite athletes in the NFL.