Eli Manning says Tom Brady still can’t get over losing Super Bowl to Giants in 2008
Tom Brady has won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots in nine total appearances, and he has a chance to win another ring with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Feb. 7. Even with a record number of Super Bowl wins, the losses still bother him.
Eli Manning, the only quarterback who has beaten Brady twice in the Super Bowl, told the New York Post on Tuesday that Brady still hasn’t gotten over losing to him and the New York Giants twice in the Super Bowl. When they’re together, he’ll bring up one game in particular: the 17-14 loss in 2008.
Brady still brings up 2008 loss
“It’s one of those things, it’s not something I ever say or ever think a lot about,’’ Manning told The Post on Tuesday. “I’ve been around Tom numerous times, and I’ve never brought up a Super Bowl or our games versus them. He actually brings it up. It still bothers him a little bit, especially the ’07 one when they had the chance to go down as the greatest team of all time.”
It’s an incredible flex for Manning to say that he rarely thinks or talks about his Super Bowl wins. Granted, he’s retired and Brady is still playing, but it’s impossible not to compare them. Manning won two Super Bowls and rarely thinks about them, while Brady has won six and still brings up the losses.
It’s hard to blame Brady for feeling sore about that one particular loss. The 2007 Patriots went 16-0 in the regular season, and were one game away from becoming the only team to go 19-0. Manning and the Giants, who were 10-6 in the regular season, put a stop to that.
Manning was quick to add that he doesn’t feel superior to Brady at all, considering his body of work.
“But I don’t have any bragging rights with Tom,” Manning said. “This is his 10th Super Bowl, and I’m so impressed with his whole career.’’
Manning impressed with Brady’s accomplishments
Beating Brady twice on football’s biggest stage hasn’t affected Manning’s rooting interest. When he watches games, he still focuses on quarterbacks and offenses, regardless of his history with them.
“I don’t think I rooted for him or against him for that reason,’’ Manning said of Brady. “I still watch the game and usually root for the quarterbacks in certain situations, especially the fourth quarter — whoever has the ball I’m rooting for the quarterback and rooting for the offense to make plays.’’
Manning’s history with Brady also hasn’t affected how he views him. He recognizes how special and unique Brady is, and how incredible his accomplishments are.
“It’s really impressive what Tom’s been able to do,’’ Manning said to The Post. “Just the fact, changing teams after 20 years, with one team where you’ve had so much success and going to a new team, new city, new state during a pandemic, where you have a shortened offseason and different rules and kind of get the same results. Getting back to a Super Bowl, at age 43, yeah, it’s so impressive. It was hard to think that was going to be possible. He’s obviously got a special demeanor and a special ability to get guys to rally around him.’’
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