Tom Brady vs Peyton Manning: Who was the better NFL QB in their prime?

There is an odd debate going around at the moment centered around who was better: Tom Brady or Peyton Manning? That is easily one of the most loaded questions in NFL history.

These are two legends of the game who defined an entire era of football. The showdowns that took place between the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots will never be forgotten. And that was just when both were on their first teams. Both would go on to win Super Bowls elsewhere.

But it is fair to ask who was better in their respective prime. Yet once again, that question is not so easy to answer.

Who was better between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning?

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The problem here is defining the "prime" of each quarterback. Brady won his seventh Super Bowl during the 2020 season as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also just threw for over 5,300 yards in 2021 well into his 40s.

Manning was an MVP in 2013 and won a Super Bowl in his final NFL season in 2015. Yes, he did limp a bit to the finish line in terms of injuries. However, there was not some long, slow decline. He had a lot of success with the Denver Broncos in just four seasons.

One way to break down this discussion is to look at when each won the NFL MVP award. Manning took home five (2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2013), while Brady has three (2007, 2010, 2017). As fans can see, both had their first and last MVPs a decade apart from the first. So there was not some short run of success. Both had primes that lasted their entire careers.

There is also the Super Bowl discussion to settle this debate. Brady has seven to his name, while Manning retired with two. The former also has five Super Bowl MVPs, while the latter took home the honor just once.

This is an extremely difficult debate because, while Manning had so much success in his career, Brady has set heights that may never be matched by any other NFL quarterback in the history of the game. He also shows no signs of slowing down at the age of 44, and it's hard to say his prime is over. Manning dealt with injuries his final season and had to retire out of necessity.

If an answer is needed, it's hard to argue against all of Brady's championship success. He has set a new standard for greatness and what it means to be the greatest of all time.

Manning fans can say their guy put up better numbers in the regular season. But how do you argue against seven titles and a prime that never seems to end? The beauty of such debates is that there is no "right" answer either way. Instead, fans are pitted against each other to share their views and discuss two of the greatest to ever play the game.