"It's tough on the parents": Peyton Manning recalls facing off against brother Eli as John Harbaugh prepares to take on brother Jim
Peyton Manning is reflecting on his experiences facing his brother, Eli Manning, as NFL fans anticipate the upcoming showdown between brothers John Harbaugh and Jim Harbaugh on Monday Night Football. John is leading the Ravens, and Jim is in charge of the Chargers on Monday.
Offering a personal perspective on ESPN’s The Breakdown with Peyton and Belichick, the two-time Super Bowl champion shared that these rare family matchups in the NFL are far from fun for those in the stands.
"It's tough on the siblings and the parents, though," Peyton said. "It's not the most enjoyable game. My dad said it was one of the more miserable games watching the Colts play the Giants. So I'm sure the hardball parents felt that way. You know who you cheering for on this play? It puts the parents in a tough spot."
That said, Peyton knows the tension all too well. After all, he has faced Eli, who is five years younger than him, three times during their NFL careers.
In all those three clashes, Peton has won each time. Twice with the Indianapolis Colts and once with the Denver Broncos. Yet, they did not face each other in the Super Bowl despite their individual championship wins.
Unlike the Mannings, John Harbaugh and Jim Harbaugh have already faced each other in the Super Bowl.
John Harbaugh and Jim Harbaugh will meet each other on the field for the second time after 2014
The last time the Harbaughs clashed was in Super Bowl XLVII in February 2013, when the John-led Ravens won over the Jim-led 49ers. 10 years have passed by since that championship game.
Thus, the Week 12 Chargers vs. Ravens game will be their first NFL faceoff since 2014.
Jim rejoined the league as a Head Coach with the Los Angeles Chargers in January 2024.
On Thursday, John Harbaugh, praised his brother, Jim, in a press conference. The Baltimore Ravens coach said:
"He [Jim] is one of the best coaches of this generation, no question. Even if he weren’t my brother, I would say the same thing. We have our work cut out for us; we have to travel across the country and play on Monday Night Football.”
Before joining the Chargers as the head coach, Jim worked as the head coach at the University of Michigan for nine seasons, from 2015 to 2023.