Ask an Indianapolis Colts fan who the greatest quarterback of all time is, and they'll have a quick answer: Peyton Manning. In fact, ask nearly any football fan, and the answer will either be Manning or the overrated Tom Brady.
Manning is easily a generational talent, someone who helped make the Colts into a dynasty, winning a Super Bowl for the first time since the Colts moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis. Brady is often seen as the GOAT, mostly because he had Bill Belichick working behind him to ensure his success.
Manning, meanwhile, was practically legendary for his ability to read defenses and act as his own offensive coordinator. It's that exact brilliance that led multiple defenders, like Bart Scott and Ray Lewis, to say they would rather face Brady any day than take on Manning.
But regardless of who is better between Manning and Brady, virtually all football fans can agree that both of them are among the best of the best. Yet one hot take from an ESPN analyst is going viral for all the wrong reasons.
Is Colts legend Peyton Manning not a generational talent?
ESPN analyst Ryan Clark argued that neither Manning nor Brady was a generational talent. Yes, you read that right.
"I think John Elway was a generational talent. I don't think Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Peyton Manning are generational talents," he said. "Andrew Luck ended up being a generational talent. I don't think there are a ton of them out there."
"I don't think Tom Brady, I don't think Drew Brees, I don't think Peyton Manning are generational talents." - Ryan Clark pic.twitter.com/sTgNQXxfBY
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 4, 2025
While some were - understandably - immediately outraged, it's worth knowing the context behind Clark's statement.
Clark's definition of "generational talent" referred more to raw, physical talent - not football IQ, work ethic, or any of the other things that contributed to Brady's and Manning's greatness - and how they were viewed going into the draft before joining the NFL.
So in that sense, his comments make a bit more sense... for Brady and Brees, anyway. Brady's performance at the scouting combine impressed basically no one, and while his college performance was good, it wasn't enough to make him a hot prospect; he ultimately wasn't drafted until the sixth round. Brees, likewise, was seen as a questionable product and wasn't drafted until the second round.
But for Peyton Manning? That's not the case at all. He won multiple awards in college, was a runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, and was a highly buzzed-about candidate heading into the draft... where, as Colts fans remember, he was taken No. 1 overall.
Ryan Leaf had similar attributes and buzz that year, but it was Manning that everyone remembers, because Manning took that talent, skill, and potential and capitalized on it. He paired it with his insane work ethic and intelligence, and now he's in the Hall of Fame.
So while Clark's overall point may stand, it's debatable at best to say it could apply to Peyton Manning.