Tom Brady opened up about the challenges of forming friendships during his NFL career, particularly highlighting his complex relationship with fellow quarterback Peyton Manning.
In his 199 newsletter, dated July 21, Brady, now 47, stated, “When I look back on my relationship with Peyton Manning, my respect, admiration, and appreciation for him as a competitor has grown with each passing year.” He clarified that while he always respected Manning, the competitive nature of their rivalry led him to view Manning as an adversary. “He didn’t respect me; he thought he was better than me because he was a #1 pick from an SEC school—or at least that’s what I made myself believe,” Brady wrote.
This mindset fueled Brady’s determination. “Convincing myself that those things were true created a sense of urgency within me to prove him wrong,” he explained. This internal drive pushed him to focus intensely on outperforming Manning throughout their careers.
Manning, who is 49, was selected first overall in the 1998 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts, while Brady was picked in the sixth round, 199th overall, by the New England Patriots in 2000. Their contrasting draft positions only added to the competitive tension between them.
Both quarterbacks are often regarded as two of the greatest in NFL history. Manning secured two Super Bowl titles—one with the Colts and another with the Denver Broncos—while Brady amassed an impressive seven championships, six with the Patriots and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Brady acknowledged that his competitive attitude sometimes resulted in “hurt feelings,” but he believed it was necessary for his success. He drew parallels to other sports legends, stating, “That’s why the greats like Michael Jordan didn’t have friends during the season. Kobe Bryant wasn’t collabing with anyone who wasn’t in purple and gold.”
Reflecting on his time in the league, Brady noted, “For my part, I didn’t have any real friends on any other teams when I played. I had the guys on my team and that was it.”
Now that both players have retired, Brady views their rivalry as “a gift.” He expressed gratitude for Manning’s influence on his career: “I maybe didn’t fully know it at the time, but I needed someone to look up to, who inspired me to be better.” He concluded with appreciation for the challenge Manning presented, which pushed him to exceed expectations and strive for greatness.
