Bill Belichick praises Peyton Manning ahead of Hall of Fame induction

Bill Belichick praised Peyton Manning ahead of the quarterback’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony. In comments made to The Boston Globe’s Ben Volin, he called Manning the best quarterback he’d ever coached against. The Patriots were long-time rivals of Manning’s teams, with Belichick and Manning competing for NFL championships every year.

Bill Belichick on Peyton Manning

“He is definitely the best quarterback I’ve coached against,” Belichick said via The Boston Globe. “There have been quarterbacks who called their own plays, but it was nowhere near the same as what he did.”

As Manning is set to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, teammates and rivals from around the NFL have had nothing but praise for his career. Belichick may have chosen his words carefully to not say who is better between Manning or Belichick’s own future Hall of Fame quarterback, Tom Brady. But the praise and respect he has for Manning is evident in his words and their competitive history.

Perhaps the greatest compliment a team can pay to an opponent is having to adjust your game plan around them. Belichick recounted that Manning’s ability to read defenses and control plays prior to the snap made him a terror to play. Manning forced Belichick to adjust their entire defense just to match his abilities.

“He basically called every play by adjusting and/or changing the play once he saw what the defense was doing. He excelled at using the cadence and recognizing blitzes, and more than any one single offensive player, he forced us to change and adapt defensive game plans,” stated Belichick.

Belichick versus Manning

Whether he was on the Indianapolis Colts or the Denver Broncos, Peyton Manning was the greatest and most consistent obstacle Belichick faced in pursuit of championships. From 2001 to 2015, the AFC champion quarterback in the Super Bowl was either Manning or Brady 10 of 15 times. Manning played against the Patriots 17 times during his career.

Belichick has the edge overall with a record of 11-6 against Manning, but Manning has the playoff lead with a 3-2 record in his favor. Manning and Brady combined for 8 Super Bowl wins during Manning’s career, and the passing statistics in head to head matchups show just how evenly matched the opponents were.

Brady tallied 4,323 passing yards, with 33 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in matchups with Manning. Manning edged him in passing yards and touchdowns, but with slightly more interceptions owed to Belichick’s defenses. Manning totaled 4,985 passing yards, 35 touchdowns and 22 interceptions against the Patriots.

In fitting fashion, even their final game against each other came down to the wire. In the 2016 AFC Championship game, Manning’s Broncos beat the Patriots 20-18. The game ended with Brady throwing the potential game-tying touchdown while down 20-12 in the final seconds. Unfortunately for Belichick and Brady, the ensuing 2-point conversion attempt was intercepted and the game ended. Manning would go on to win the Super Bowl and retire following the season, enjoying the last laugh in their storied rivalry.

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