WATCH: Tom Brady has a wholesome reaction on getting surprised by Peyton Manning at his Patriots HOF ceremony

Brady was surprised to see his old rival show up at his Hall of Fame induction ceremony and later praised each other's work ethic and contribution to football.

WATCH: Tom Brady has a wholesome reaction on getting surprised by Peyton Manning at his Patriots HOF ceremony

Peyton Manning makes a surprise appearance at Tom Brady's induction into Patriots Hall of Fame (Image via IMAGO)

When football fans speak about rivalry, the first duo that always pops up is Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. The pair entertained the NFL for more than 15 years.

It started when Manning played for the Indianapolis Colts and continued deep into his Denver Broncos career. The two superstars shared a stage on Wednesday at Foxborough as the New England Patriots celebrated inducting Brady into the Hall of Fame.

Manning’s presence at the event was kept hidden from the audience, and perhaps Brady himself. As host Mike Tirico of NBC Sports called out Manning’s name, it took everyone by surprise.

FS Video
There was one person not in that video who said he refused to talk about Tom Brady again on camera. So instead, and you (Brady) don't know this is coming..Surprise..Ladies and Gentlemen..Peyton Manning.
Mike Tirico said

The shock on Tom Brady’s face was clear as day. When Manning leaned forward for a hug, Brady appeared to have said,“Are you fuc**** kidding me!!!”

Well, he should be grateful to Robert Kraft that it was Peyton Manning and not Eli Manning that showed up. Although the 46-year-old formed a great rivalry against the Giants great, he usually came up short during clutch moments.

Peyton Manning and Tom Brady praised each other’s talents

Following the introduction, Tirico invited Manning and Brady for a chit-chat. Both players had so much to say about one another.

WATCH: Tom Brady has a wholesome reaction on getting surprised by Peyton Manning at his Patriots HOF ceremony
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (#12) and Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (#18) shake hands and speak after the game in the AFC Championship football game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High (Image via IMAGO)

They spoke about the respect they have had since their playing days.

You knew when you were playing against a Tom [Brady’s] team, you better be at your best, cause if you weren't, he [Tom Brady] was going to beat you every time.
Peyton Manning said

Brady returned the compliment, saying he would not have won seven Super Bowl rings if he did not face players like Manning regularly.

I could never have been the type of player that I was without having someone like Peyton [that I had to aspire to be like]. And I looked at him as the gold standard for quarterback play, [and I still do].
Tom Brady said

Then he dropped a massive take. Brady asserted that no active quarterback reminds him of Peyton Manning.

There's nobody like Peyton Manning out there right now.
Tom Brady added

It’s hard to imagine how Patrick Mahomes’ fans would feel. They would probably argue that the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback has more rings compared to Manning and is on the path of a three-peat.

Regardless, the Brady-Manning rivalry was one of the ages. The two legends went head to head 12 times in the regular season, with Brady winning on nine occasions per Stat Muse. However, Manning had the upper hand in the post-season, winning three times from five meetings.

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