Over the course of his 18-year career, quarterback Peyton Manning faced a New England Patriots team coached by Bill Belichick on 20 occasions, developing into one of the most intriguing match-ups on a near-annual basis on the NFL’s calendar.
The reverence between Manning and Belichick has become apparent. When reached while traveling on Sunday hours after news of Manning’s decision to retire, Belichick said: “It is with great admiration that I congratulate Peyton Manning for his tremendous career in the National Football League. Peyton raised the bar as a performer and as a competitor and with a personal class in which he carried himself off the field.