"We were in it together for so long" - Tom Brady once broke down his special relationship with rival Peyton Manning
Tom Brady and Peyton Manning's relationship might take some time to decipher. Rivals on the field, the two star QBs have developed an interesting bond over the years. Brady and Manning were two players at the center of the game for a long time.
While speaking with Westwood One Radio in a 2019 interview, Tom Brady broke down the structure of their relationship and why it is so special to them. Their topics range from family to immediate plans.
Irrespective of their rivalry on the field, both Manning and Brady will always remain friends.
“I really like Peyton,” Brady told host Jim Gray. “There are a lot of things in common that we’ve had over the years, so it’s nice to have someone who can relate to a lot of similar experiences we’ve had. Being that we were in it together for so long at the same time, it’s really a special relationship to me."
Of course, he believed they will stay great friends over the years as well.
He continued:
“He wanted to beat the heck out of me as Tom Brady 'the football player.' And that’s very different than Tom Brady 'the person,'” Brady added. “When you’re wearing that opposing jersey, that’s just the way it goes. That’s what you signed up for. But post-game and when you’re not wearing the jersey, it’s a whole different set of circumstances.”
Did Tom Brady bump the Manning brothers from an iconic Entourage episode?
If some reports are to be believed, Tom Brady and Manning's rivalry might have seeped into their off-field lives as well.
It was rumored that Brady had Eli and Peyton Manning bumped from the 2009 Entourage episode title 'Fore!'. The star-studded episode included Mark Wahlberg, Kevin Dillon (Johnny Drama), and Adrian Grenier (Vince Chase) joining Brady for a round of golf.
In a 2015 interview with SI Now, actor Jerry Ferrara revealed how Brady bagged his appearance on the show:
"That scene in the show where he (Brady) was in the golf tournament with Johnny Drama and Mark Wahlberg was initially for the Manning brothers. But then something happened where they had to pull out like four days before."
Even though Brady ended up securing the part, the Manning brothers' absence had nothing to do with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers star. Apparently, they could not make it to the shoot, and Brady was the show's backup option.