The Indianapolis Colts enjoyed the incredible luck of having the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft at the precise time that two generational quarterbacks were available, and yet it wasn't enough for the franchise to overcome Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
The Colts selected Peyton Manning with the No. 1 pick in the 1998 draft and found his successor in Andrew Luck with the first overall pick in 2012. The Colts, despite having two excellent quarterbacks almost back-to-back, managed to win just one Super Bowl title in two appearances over the last 19 years. They also were bounced in the playoffs in their first game eight times. The Patriots, over the same span, set the standard for NFL excellence with six Super Bowl championships and nine AFC Championship Game victories.
How has Brady fared against Manning and Luck over the last 19 seasons? This stat graphic from ESPN paints a pretty impressive picture for the 42-year-old quarterback.
The idea of Brady outlasting Luck, who shockingly retired last weekend at age 29, would have been inconceivable when the Stanford product was drafted seven years ago. The Patriots quarterback continues to wage the most impressive battle against Father Time that we've seen from a pro football player, and when you consider his willingness to play until he's 45 years old, Colts fans could be in store for more pain at the expense of Brady in the near future.
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