Peyton's making plays for Super Bowl tickets
Nearly 12 months after being named the most valuable player of the Super Bowl, the Indianapolis Colts quarterback finds himself frantically lining up seats for family and friends intent on watching his kid brother perform on the NFL's grandest stage. Eli will lead the New York Giants against undefeated New England in Super Bowl XLII on Feb. 3 in Glendale, Ariz.
"I called all my Colts teammates, as many as I could get, the ones that hadn't already given (their tickets) away," Manning said in a national teleconference Friday, referring to the two Super Bowl tickets all NFL players get a chance to buy. "I've been working for (Eli) a little bit, but I've been glad to do it because a lot of his friends and our family all want to go to the game.
"It looks like we're going to get everybody a chance to go.''
That includes big brother. Peyton was not on hand at Lambeau Field last Sunday when Eli led the Giants to a 23-20 overtime win over the Green Bay Packers. Their father, Archie, had said Peyton didn't want to jinx Eli -- the last time Peyton watched Eli in person, Eli had one of his worst games.
Peyton said it was more a matter of needing a little time away. The Colts' hopes at a Super Bowl repeat had ended unceremoniously the week before with a home loss to San Diego.
"Not too many people want to go see another football game right away," Manning said. "But I promise you I was watching every step of the way against Green Bay and watched that unbelievable game and . . . just couldn't be any prouder and happier for Eli.''
As for Super Sunday, "Eli called me and told me he wanted me to be there. I wouldn't miss it for the world.''
It will be the latest chapter in the NFL's Manning story. Eli and Peyton will be the first brothers to start at quarterback in a Super Bowl. Each was the first overall pick in the draft, Peyton in 1998 by the Colts and Eli in 2004 by San Diego, which promptly traded him to the Giants. The New Orleans Saints used the second overall draft pick in 1971 on their father, Archie. (The eldest brother, Cooper, had his football career end in college by a rare spinal condition.)
"We're all pretty excited," Archie, who spent 15 years as an NFL quarterback, said earlier this week. "It's been a great ride the last couple of years."
Perhaps the ride will continue, even take another historic turn.
Peyton turns 32 in March and is surrounded by one of the league's youngest teams. Eli, 27, also leads a team that should contend for the next several seasons.
"I hope somebody goes back (to the Super Bowl)," Archie said. "I hope they do it again. I can get in the habit. It's not too shabby."
And if they do it the same year? Peyton and Eli have played against each other only once, when the Colts beat the Giants 26-21 in the 2006 season opener. Perhaps a Super Bowl rematch is in the offing?
"I'm sure it would be cause for some hair-pulling and probably a lot of stressed-out situations for our family," Peyton said. "It could certainly happen. Certainly we hope . . . to be in the mix every single year.
"Maybe next year we'll have to answer that question."
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