In a recent appearance on STAT Sports, Baltimore Ravens icon Ray Lewis took a trip down memory lane, reminiscing about his Hall of Fame NFL career and the legendary quarterbacks he faced.
Notably, Lewis shared insights on his encounters with two of the game’s greatest-ever signal-callers: Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.
Is Peyton Manning or Tom Brady the GOAT? Ray Lewis Gives His Take | via @DwallsterDrake
READ: https://t.co/iGo6VzffUN pic.twitter.com/8VuinIYrH8
— Indianapolis Colts on SI.com (@ColtMaven) April 5, 2024
Lewis, known for his ferocious play and unmatched leadership, hailed Brady and Manning as integral parts of football history.
When prompted about his numerous clashes with both, Lewis offered a revealing perspective.
While Brady has won more Super Bowls (seven), Lewis made it clear that it’s Manning who he feels made the bigger impact, especially from his point-of-view.ย
Ray Lewis on who heโd choose if he had to pick between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning:
"I would say from a quarterback, Manning made me alter my game. He made me watch more film and that's what I call the greatest quarterback.โ pic.twitter.com/odwBLAPA9s
— ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐๐๐ (@LIVERavenNation) April 5, 2024
“I would say from a quarterback, from a student level of the game, he made me alter my game. He made me watch more film and that’s what I call the greatest quarterback, to me, me and his battle,” Lewis explained.
“Brady, of course, rings, but when you talk about just walking out there and seeing a man knowing that whoo, here we go again, Peyton Manning was rough.”
Brady and Manning had one of the greatest individual rivalries in NFL history.
While Brady often got the best of Manning, there’s no denying or downplaying Manning’s greatness. He arguably had more responsibility than any single player in history.
In many ways, he was the quarterback, head coach and offensive coordinator all rolled into one.
Colts highlights day 8
74 days left๐ฅ
November 15, 2009
Trailing 31-14 against Brady and the Patriots with 14 minutes left, Manning engineered a 35-34 comeback to keep the Colts perfect record intact. This play however, tells the story & emotions of the game. #ForTheShoe pic.twitter.com/TdNOtcmUxJ
— Colts Coverage (@Colts_Coverage) June 29, 2022
Considered by many to have the highest football IQ of any player in the sport’s history, Manning’s meticulous preparation and attention to detail is legendary.
However, Lewis’ remarks weren’t intended to discredit Brady’s accomplishments. Instead, they served as a testament to Manning’s impact and the unique challenges he posed on the field.
Lewis’ acknowledgment of Manning’s brilliance underscores the respect shared among competitors in the NFL.
There will never be another QB rivalry comparable to Brady-Manning. It wonโt happen.
Very rarely do games as highly hyped as these matchups were live up to the hype, but save a few laughers (2001 (2x), 2004 playoffs, 2005, 2013 playoffs, 2014); these matchups almost always did. https://t.co/tDzxVlGerX pic.twitter.com/nEDPBc3WQc
— William Clogston (@BillClog501) April 3, 2024
As a two-time Super Bowl champion and five-time MVP, Manning’s statistical domination speaks for itself, with 71,940 passing yards and 539 touchdowns cementing his place forever in football history.
But of course, Manning would gladly trade all of those stats for a few more Super Bowl rings … That’s the one thing that can never be taken away from Brady.ย
The Pats/Colts Rivalry in the 2000s will never be replicated
No QB rivalry will ever match the intensity that was Brady vs Manning
The absolute pinnacle of the hype was when a regular season matchup during the 2007 season was officially labeled as โSuper Bowl 41.5โ by the media pic.twitter.com/7GNSVLSdqJ
— Willy Trill (@WillyTrillEra) April 7, 2024
What are your thoughts on Lewis’ comments?
Who was better: Brady or Manning?
If you had to win one game to save your life, who would you want as your quarterback???