Look: Russell Wilson recreates hilarious Peyton Manning practice technique photo
Peyton Manning was known for a few things in Denver: winning the Super Bowl, posting record numbers, and practicing in the pool. One of Peyton Manning's most famous pictures captured in his time in Denver was when he was seen wearing a helmet with one foot in the pool while studying tape on a tablet.
Years later, Russell Wilson has duplicated the picture in a similar vein to how Baker Mayfield famously recreated Brett Favre's draft photo a number of years ago. The post of both pictures is below, courtesy of the official Broncos Instagram page:
Peyton Manning vs Russell Wilson
In the post, the Broncos' official handle asks fans to pick which one pulled off the better photo. In a vacuum, the post is a harmless joke, but it alludes to a larger conversation that some are beginning to ponder. At the end of the year, many will be comparing the two to find out which was better in their first year.
twitter.com/broncos/status…
LET’S RIDE 🐎😏 twitter.com/broncos/status…
Going into Peyton Manning's first year, some doubted his ability to recover from a catastrophic neck injury. However, according to Pro Football Reference, the quarterback did just fine. In 2012, his first season in Denver, the quarterback threw for 37 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, leading the team to a 13-3 record.
The team lost in the divisional round of the playoffs. Put simply, for Wilson to pass Manning's first year, he will need to throw for 38 or more touchdowns and fewer than 11 interceptions. He's accomplished the interception feat seven times in his career.
However, he's only thrown for more touchdowns once. That said, many would call earning more than 13 wins a tie breaker. Of course, at 33 years old in a league with a quarterback slated to play at 45 years old, Wilson could remain in Denver for a very long time, giving him the eventual lead over the quarterback's accomplishments in the Mile High City.
Of course, theoretical comparisons are not the only competition the two faced off in. The most notable one was in Super Bowl 48, when the Seattle Seahawks took on the Denver Broncos. In the matchup, Denver led the league in offense. Meanwhile, Seattle led the league in defense. In a battle of the best of both worlds, many argued about the better path to the Super Bowl.
The defensive team won the argument soundly based on their performance in the Super Bowl. The Seahawks dominated the contest, winning 43-8 over Manning's Broncos. However, not even a full decade later, one is retired and hoping for the other to succeed.