Peyton Manning didn't want to make more than Brady (until he did)

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Here's a nice story for all the Pey-Pey apologists out there, as relayed by Manning's agent Tom Condon to the MMQB at the annual league meetings last week.

Condon was hoping for a record-breaking $25 million a year deal for Manning when the Colts made him cut him loose in 2012. However, Peyton dictated the entire process, choosing to make four visits and pick Denver before even beginning negotiations. Once those negotiations began, there was one strict rule Manning let Condon know:

“What does Tom Brady make?”

“$18 million a year.”

“Then I don’t want to make a penny more than that.”

Condon’s visions of a $25 million a year deal were dashed, although the Broncos’ opening offer was $19.4 million a year. Condon phoned to tell Manning, who was incensed:

“I told you I didn’t want to make more than Brady!”

Condon apologized, hung up and called Manning’s wife, who responded, “I’ll take care of it,” and coaxed Manning to accept the Broncos’ offer.

To be fair to Manning, this is more self-awareness than he's shown in the past during contract negotiations. Still, I love how he managed to keep to his principles for, oh, about a day before signing a deal that pays him an average of  $1.4 million per year more than Brady. That's also based on Brady's contract prior to Tom agreeing to a very team-friendly extension; as things currently stand Brady will average a $13.93 million cap hit over the next three years. Manning? $20.16 million a year.

According to Spotrac, Manning tops all active players in career earnings with $209,520,664 million, while Brady comes in a distant second at $134,126,000 million. Of course, Brady is married to Brazilian supermodel Giselle Bundchen, who made $42 million herself last year. Manning, on the other hand, makes an extra $10-12 million a year himself in endorsements, plus all the Papa Johns Pizza he can eat. Drunk Papa John thinks that's a great deal.