When Tom Brady takes the field against Peyton Manning today, the discussion about who’s the best will present itself for the umpteenth time.
Who’s No. 1? It’s a good argument on the field. It depends what you prefer — stats or rings. On cardboard, both are big, though Brady is definitely a pricier autograph simply because he doesn’t sign as much. Manning’s availability hurts values but helps collections. (Just like on the field, it’s a good debate of who’s better hobby-wise.)
Rewind the clock back 16 years, though, and it was obvious who the star was between these two. Manning had been the No. 1 overall pick a couple years before and walked into the NFL a star on cardboard after his time at Tennessee. And Brady? He wasn’t even in the discussions. He was just this guy from Michigan. >>>>>
The former Wolverine was so off-the-radar that it took a few years for this image to become Internet fodder. Brady’s cards took a bit of time to take off, too, but once he took over as the Patriots’ starter in 2001, NFL history was changed — just like his cardboard.
We’re down to four NFL teams and we get a marquee matchup in the AFC Championship Game between quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.