It’s time to revisit the careers of Colts legend Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.
We all knew this would happen. When Colts fans said their farewell to Peyton Manning, and then he went out west and captured one final Super Bowl with the Broncos before riding off to Peytonville with Brad Paisley, we promised we wouldn’t forget to argue his legacy.
Then, the national media forgot about our man, and conceded everything to Tom Brady simply because he lingered longer.
Tom Brady is a fantastic quarterback, and in Bill Belichick’s system, he was allowed to live long and prosper in recent years. TB12 never saw a wide-open 5’7″ practice squad guy he didn’t like.
But Peyton Manning played football. Here are three reasons why the Colts’ old-timer was, and will always be, our first pick at QB in one winner-take-all battle on an objective playing field.
3. Single-Season Passing Records
Colts QB Peyton Manning has posted the greatest single seasons in NFL history.
In a QB-centric league, single-season records for quarterback play are no way to judge Manning against the upper-echelon greats of past eras, like Joe Montana. But they’re sure as hell a way to judge him against Brady, right?
The numbers are still there, in any record book, for you to view. After Brady passed Manning’s single-season record for passing TDs in 2007, Manning went right back and obliterated the mark with 55 in 2013. He also set the single-season yardage record that year (5,477), whereas Brady’s highest single-season passing total remains just 5,235 in 2011. Manning was 37 when he defied the aging curve and set the mark.
You’re supposed to pass the football, as a quarterback, right? That’s considered important, in this day and age? Well, the greatest passing season in history still belongs to Manning, and his chief competitor was warped by the same era. It’s a pretty clear head-to-head win.