Ana Karina Soto: Tom Brady’s leaked emails from Deflategate scandal reveals how quarterback knew the end was near for arch-rival Peyton Manning

Tom Brady knew Peyton Manning’s time was numbered in 2014

Several years ago, CBS Sports was able to capture email screenshots of Tom Brady and his father’s exchange back in 2014. They discussed the status of Peyton Manning’s career.

“I’ve got another 7 or 8 years. [Peyton Manning] has 2. That’s the final chapter. Game on.”
–Tom Brady
Nov. 1, 2014https://t.co/16ODDswPbu pic.twitter.com/klp3nzfykt

— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) February 3, 2019

Brady doesn’t lack respect for Manning but clearly sees him as his primary quarterback rival. He told his father Kevin that he himself would last another 7-8 years while Manning would be done after two.

Manning retired in 2016 after the Denver Broncos defense carried an injured Manning to a Super Bowl 50 victory over the Carolina Panthers. By Brady’s timeline, the 2022 season could be his last before he enters a $375 million career as a broadcaster for Fox Sports.

Ahead of the Patriots and Broncos’ November 2nd, 2014 showdown, this is what the ultra-competitive Brady told his father via email:

“I’ve got another 7 or 8 years. He has 2. That’s the final chapter. Game on.”

[https://youtu.be/WaU0nbgAuw8]

Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning, accomplishment comparison

Tom Brady looked up to the ‘older’ Peyton Manning

The rivalry between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning is a masterclass in subtle passive-aggressive swipes. It blends into a large body of evidence that the two have incredible respect for each other.

Most Pass TD in NFL history
(incl. postseason)

Tom Brady 710
Drew Brees 608
Peyton Manning 579
Brett Favre 552
Brady since turning 30 543
Aaron Rodgers 494 pic.twitter.com/emASQZSj4m

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) August 16, 2022

In talking about what Manning meant to him during the 1997 NFL Draft’s No. 1 pick’s playing career, Brady couldn’t help but take a subtle swipe at his age. Still, he made sure to relay how influential the former Colts quarterback was:

“Well Peyton was someone that I always just admired as a quarterback, as a leader of a team. I always looked up to him because he was a little older than me and he was always doing things the right way. His team was always in it.”

“I know our teams had a rivalry against one another, but when you went against a Peyton Manning-led team, you were going against the other best team in the league. And it’s no real surprise that he’d be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. An amazing player.”

[https://youtu.be/6bR_AgJvQcM]

Peyton Manning on Tom Brady:

During their days leading the Patriots and Colts, Brady and Manning had one of the best rivalry’s in the NFL. While divisional rivals had more bad blood, Brady and Manning always played in games that mattered on a national scale.

With both winning Super Bowl titles with multiple teams, the careers of these two QB greats will always be intertwined. Needless to say, though, Tom Brady will always hold an edge, having almost 4x as many rings and owning the head-to-head series 11-6.