NFL

Eli Manning sneaks in Super Bowl jab during Tom Brady sendoff

Eli Manning gave a heartfelt congratulations to Tom Brady on a legendary career, but couldn’t help but sneak in a barb at the end.

“Hey Tom, just want to congratulate on an unbelievable NFL career,” Manning said in a video Tuesday posted to his Twitter account. “22 years, seven Super Bowls, multiple MVPs — really, no one did it better than you during your time. It was an honor just to watch you compete, watch you play, and to do it at such a high level for so long. In your 22nd year, you were playing as good as you ever were.

Eli Manning congratulated Tom Brady on Tuesday in a Twitter video Getty Images
Michael Strahan sacked Brady during the Giants’ Super Bowl win over the Patriots in Feb. 2008 AP
Brady announced his retirement from the NFL on Tuesday Getty Images

“I watched you win a Super Bowl when I was in college. I got to watch you win a few when I was in the NFL, and I saw you win one when I was retired. That’s a pretty impressive career right there.”

Manning, who himself retired in 2020, obviously had to get in a deadpan joke at the conclusion of the clip.

“Good luck in retirement, congratulations on an unbelievable career, and I appreciate your generosity in at least sharing a few of those Super Bowls with me,” Manning said.

Manning was referring to the two Super Bowls in which his Giants knocked off Brady’s Patriots. The first came during the 2007-08 season, when New England went on a spectacular undefeated run, followed by a second championship matchup at the end of the 2011-12.