06 September 2023 , 14:28
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Tom Brady has rubbished claims that the NFL is scripted by pointing out that he would not agree to play along with a pre-determined outcome that would see him lose in the Super Bowl twice to rival Peyton Manning's younger brother, Eli.
Former Pro Bowl running back Arian Foster added fuel to the conspiracy fire earlier this year after claiming that the NFL is rigged, with players receiving “scripts” at their lockers during training camp. "That’s what practice was about—it was about practising the script … It’s like WWF—we know what’s going to happen, but you’ve still got to put on a show,” Foster said.
But seven-time Super Bowl winner Brady, 46, has put the theory to bed once and for all. When asked if he thinks the NFL is scripted, Brady pointed toward his two Super Bowl losses against Eli Manning and the New York Giants as proof that it isn't.
The first of those losses, 17-14 in the Giants' favour at Super Bowl XLI, prevented Brady and the Patriots from becoming the first team in NFL history to go 18-0.
"Do I think the NFL is scripted?" Brady asked. "You think I really would have played along with a script that had me losing to Peyton's little brother, Eli, twice in the Super Bowl? ... No."
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Eli, the youngest son of ex-NFL star Archie Manning, was named Super Bowl MVP in both of the wins over Brady and the Patriots. And like his older brother, Peyton, he was a first overall pick in his NFL Draft class. Peyton, also a two-time Super Bowl winner, says Eli is one of the NFL's best-ever quarterbacks, having played 16 seasons with the Giants.
"When you're the Super Bowl MVP twice against the greatest dynasty of all time, the New England Patriots, Tom Brady/Bill Belichick, and you join a list that includes Terry Bradshaw, Bart Starr, Tom Brady and Joe Montana, Eli Manning as the only (multiple) Super Bowl MVPs," Peyton said in 2020. "I don't really know what that term, 'drop the mic' is, but I guess if there was one.
Brady lost to Eli Manning twice in the Super Bowl (Getty)"There really is no 'yeah, but' after that. That kind of ends it. But if you want a, 'yeah, but,' yeah, but he also started 220-plus consecutive games. He's sixth or seventh all-time in touchdowns. It wasn't like he just played those two seasons.
"He answered the bell, played his butt off, won some huge games for his team. I have strong opinions on it, but I'm gonna pull and Eli and live in the present and kinda look back if you will and not look too far ahead, get too worried about it."
As for Brady, life after Manning wasn't too bad. He went on to win four more Super Bowls and is regarded as the best player of all time. Brady retired from American football earlier this year with a second retirement U-turn ruled out.