Peyton Manning and Tom Brady will square off possibly for the last time when the Denver Broncos collide with the New England Patriots on Sunday at the Gillette Stadium.
Brady, who has completed 181-of-281 passes for 2,059 yards this season, said that he is looking forward to facing Manning on Sunday, knowing that it could be their last meeting and adding that his rivalry with the Broncos superstar quarterback has been very special.
"Five, six years ago you don't think about those things," Brady said in a radio interview as reported by ESPN. "But as you mature a little bit and realize this could always be the last one, then you do. It's pretty special."
Unless their team trades them, which is highly unlikely, Sunday's match could be the last time fans are going to see Manning and Brady on the same field.
The Broncos and the Patriots aren't scheduled to go up against each other until the 2017 season unless they meet in this year's playoffs or both teams ends up on top of their respective divisions.
Reflecting on his longstanding rivalry with Manning, Brady said that it has been a pleasure sharing the field with the 38-year-old superstar, saying that playing against him has always been a challenge.
"He's been one of the greatest players to ever play," Brady said of Manning. "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 and Brady had two excellent battles last season, including one where the Broncos defeated the Patriots in the AFC title game. In the other meeting, Brady led the Patriots to a 34-31 win after trailing 24-0 at the half.
Brady holds a 10-5 lead in their head-to-head matchup, but the 37-year-old Patriots star admitted that Manning has been playing better than him over the past several years.
"What can you say more about what Peyton Manning has been able to accomplish? It's been the greatest season-and-a-half stretch in the history of the NFL," Brady added. "Nobody has really matched what he has been able to do, what that offense has been able to do most importantly."
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