Why Tom Brady once sent an "unnecessary" apology Peyton Manning's way

Tom Brady and Peyton Manning shared a close friendship off the field. Regardless of their friendship, they remained fierce rivals for the title of the NFL GOAT. The 15-year rivalry led fans to witness a golden age.

In 2015, the Brady-Manning camaraderie was on the verge of a crack when the former Patriots QB's private emails were circulated online.

The emails featured Manning's name and some comments by Brady and his close friends on Manning. Upon realization, he immediately apologized to Manning. The then-Broncos QB talked about it after the practice session in Aug. 2016.

"Everybody has been speculating on that for a long time, so I guess he's joining the list of trying to predict,'' Manning said. "Hey, Tom sent me an apology text that was unnecessary. The fact his emails got revealed, that doesn't make a lot of sense to me.''

What did Tom Brady say about Peyton Manning in an email?

The moment in reference has a long history and traces back to the 2014 AFC championship game between the Patriots and the Colts. The Patriots won the game 43-22. However, they faced a setback with the ‘Deflategate’ incident, which badly damaged the reputation of Brady and his team.

The Patriots were accused of purposefully using an under-inflated football for an unfair advantage in the game, making it easier to grip the football in cold and rainy conditions.

Later, Brady was suspended for four games, and the Patriots were fined $1 million. An investigation was conducted to probe the matter, leading to the public circulation of his private emails.

In one of the emails to his friend Kevin Brady, just days before a 43-21 win against Peyton Manning's Broncos in 2014, Brady wrote:

“Thanks popa, I've got another 7 or 8 years. He has 2. That's the final chapter. Game on.”

Tom Brady publicly acknowledged his greatest rival, Peyton Manning

In 2014, before a matchup between Tom Brady's New England Patriots and Peyton Manning's Denver Broncos, the seven-time Super Bowl champions praised his counterpart.

“[Manning has] been one of the greatest players to ever play," Brady said. "I've been fortunate to share a field with one of the best players that has ever played the game. And every time we play a Peyton Manning-led team, it comes down to the wire. Everything is usually at stake.”

Manning threw for 71,940 yards and 539 touchdowns in his NFL career; meanwhile, Brady threw for 89,214 yards and 649 touchdowns.