Bill Belichick has been around for a while. The New England Patriots coach has over 45 years of NFL coaching experience, and he’s coached big playoff games against the very best opponents. That’s why it’s noteworthy when he offers praise for pretty much anyone.
Belichick commented on Peyton Manning’s upcoming Hall of Fame induction, calling the former Colts and Broncos star the best quarterback he’d ever coached against.
“He is definitely the best quarterback I’ve coached against,” Belichick told Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. “There have been quarterbacks who called their own plays, but it was nowhere near the same as what he did. He basically called every play by adjusting and/or changing the play once he saw what the defense was doing. He excelled at using the cadence and recognizing blitzes, and more than any one single offensive player, he forced us to change and adapt defensive game plans.”
It’s a good summation of what made Manning so good and so difficult to play against. Based on this comment, it’s clear that Tom Brady agrees with his former coach on this one.
Speaking of Brady, don’t be surprised if he uses this quote as motivation for his upcoming matchup with Belichick. The guy can find it anywhere, after all.
