Through the Halls of Canton, Ohio you find some of the greatest enshrined side by side. You can see linemen, running backs, quarterbacks, and even a punter. Out of all of those players from years gone by you won't find the greatest player to lace up a pair of cleats. throughout the lifetime of football their have been innovators like Bill Walsh introducing the West Coast offense, and Dan Marino setting a standard for quarterbacks to follow even today. before Dan it was Joe Montana and before him Sammy Baugh. Now after Marino there are a couple of Quarterbacks who say they are head of the next wave like Brett Farve who had the most passing yards in a career until a few years ago. Tom Brady, who until a few years ago had his single season TD record broken. No, the man to take the reigns and direct them in a different way more than anyone in the history of the NFL, is the man who rewrote the record books on several different occasions. Peyton Manning, The Sheriff. He is the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT). He not only changed a position but he also changed an entire league.
Coming into the league as an overall number one draft pick in 1998 would put enough pressure on anybody, and Peyton took it with great stride forward in his rookie year finish 5th in td passes and 3rd in passing yards, but also lead the league in Interceptions. It was something that killed Manning, and added onto his already loaded film watching. In the years to come. he finally took over in 2000 leading the league in passing for his first time, an accomplishment he has accomplished that on two other occasions as well.
In 2004, he took down a record that had stood for 20 years as he threw his 49 TD beating Marino's record by one. Then, he broke the same record in 2013 with 55, after many people thought he wouldn't even be able to throw a football again, having multiple neck surgeries. That same year, he broke the single season passing yards record.
he holds the record for the most MVP awards with five. the closest players to him are Brett Farve, Johnny Unitas, and Jim Brown with two a piece. his first was in 2003 he went back to back winning his second in 2004, with the following three coming in 2008, 2009, and 2013.
He hold the career record for most passing yards and most passing touchdowns in the regular season also, with 71,940 yards and 539 TDs.
The biggest knock on Manning is his one super Bowl Ring, and to an extent rightfully so. However, a stat that no other player in the history of the NFL can claim is that Peyton Manning has taken two different teams to two Super Bowls each. Another Super Bowl accomplishment is that he has went to four different Super Bowls with four different head coaches. also, in 2007 when he finally won the Super Bowl The Colts had staistcally the worst defense to win it all up to that point.
Peyton is also tied for first with Merlin Olsen and Bruce Mathews for most Pro Bowl Selections with 14. He is also tied for fourth in career All-Pro selection and is first for active players currently. He is also first for Weighted Career Approximate Value since 1950 ( 1950 is how far back the stat can be accurately valued). This stat basically states how valuable you are to your team.
Now, onto the debate we all have with ourselves internally or with our football buddies- Brady is better. Now I am saving Rings for a little later, I will begin with career stats. Manning has played in roughly two and a half more seasons than Brady, Manning has 13,912 more passing yards than Brady. Brady can't get nearly 14 thousand yards in two and a half seasons nobody can. he would have to get 4,638 yards for 3 straight season, a stat his has only done four times in his professional career. Manning has 111 more TD passes than Brady has. Again, breaking that down for three years, Brady would have to get 37 TD passes without Manning playing. Brady has only had at least 37 TD passes twice in his career, and Manning has done it four different times in his career. Manning also lead Brady in passing percentage, pass average, passing yards per game, and completions. Brady does have Manning beat on INTs and Rushing yards, this is quarterback not running back. Manning also has the advantage during the playoffs with a 3-2 and is the only quarterback to beat Belichick in the playoffs three times. Now, onto the only thing Brady has, Super Bowl Rings. Brady has four rings compared to Manning's one. However, winning a Super Bowl takes more than one person, and Brady has some of the best defense in the league when when he won his rings. The Patriots defenses were ranked 6th, 1st, 2nd, and 8th respectively, Tedy Bruschi says hello. Peyton won with the 23rd ranked defense. Peyton also didn't have to cheat, but i won't go down that road.
Peyton Manning is the GOAT! HE has rewritten the record books several times in a era where the parody in the league has never been greater, and at 39, still at a competitive level. Brady has the rings, but had a stellar defense and simply doesn't have the stats and records to back up to be a serious contender. Peyton Manning is a living breathing first ballot Hall of Famer. The Sheriff might ride off after Super Bowl 50. If he does it will be the end of an era. So soak it up! And whenever he does decide to hang up hit cleats, the NFL will have lost the best it has ever seen!
