Eli Manning and the Giants beat Tom Brady and the Patriots twice in the Super Bowl. But Manning never brings up the subject, but says Brady does. “I don’t have any bragging rights with Tom,” Manning said. “This is his 10th Super Bowl, and I’m so impressed with his whole career.” Julio Cortez/Associated Press, file
If Tom Brady is the GOAT, Eli Manning is the GOAT slayer.
Headed to his first Super Bowl as quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brady is 6-3 in his previous appearances in the big game, all with the New England Patriots.
Two of the losses were to Manning and the New York Giants. Seems like something Manning would want to bring up every opportunity he gets. But the now-retired quarterback told the New York Post that’s not the case.
Apparently Brady is the one who won’t shut up about it.
“I’ve been around Tom numerous times, and I’ve never brought up a Super Bowl or our games versus them,” Manning said. “He actually brings it up. It still bothers him a little bit, especially the ’07 one when they had the chance to go down as the greatest team of all time.”
Case in point: When Manning announced his retirement after 16 seasons last year, Brady couldn’t help but mention that Manning’s 2-0 record in Super Bowls came at his expense.
“Congratulations on your retirement, and a great career Eli!” Brady tweeted. “Not going to lie though, I wish you hadn’t won any Super Bowls.”
It makes sense that Brady would have trouble letting go of the Super Bowl losses following the 2007 and 2011 seasons. Both times the Patriots had the lead late in the fourth quarter — and both times Manning led the Giants on spectacular winning drives. Manning was named Super Bowl MVP both times.
But it also makes sense that Manning doesn’t feel right giving Brady a hard time about those games.
“I don’t have any bragging rights with Tom,” Manning said. “This is his 10th Super Bowl, and I’m so impressed with his whole career.”
SEAHAWKS: Former Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman Chad Wheeler was charged with first-degree domestic violence assault following his arrest last weekend.
Wheeler was additionally charged with domestic violence unlawful imprisonment and resisting arrest by King County Prosecutors. Wheeler is scheduled to be arraigned on Feb. 9. The first-degree domestic violence assault charge is a Class A felony in Washington. The domestic violence unlawful imprisonment charge is a Class C felony.
Prosecutors also asked a judge to require Wheeler be placed on electronic home detention, and wear an ankle monitoring device be equipped with GPS monitoring.
The charging decision by prosecutors ended a whirlwind day that included Wheeler being waived by the Seahawks, according to the NFL’s official transactions wire after details emerged of the alleged assault and his arrest.
“The Seahawks are saddened by the details emerging against Chad Wheeler and strongly condemn this act of domestic violence. Our thoughts and support are with the victim. Chad is a free agent and no longer with the team,” the Seahawks said in a statement.
Wheeler joined the Seahawks in 2019 and appeared in five games this season. His contract with the team was set to expire with the start of the new league year in March.
Wheeler was arrested by police in the Seattle suburb of Kent, Washington, and booked into the King County Jail early Saturday for investigation of felony domestic violence. He had an initial court appearance Monday and was released from jail Tuesday after posting $400,000 bond.
Officers went to a residence in Kent on Friday night after the victim and family members called 911 and reported the victim had locked herself in a bathroom after being attacked, according to the case file.
Arriving officers heard a woman screaming, forced their way into the apartment and broke down the door to the locked bathroom, documents said. Police found Wheeler with the woman, who was crying with her face covered in blood and her arm hanging limply at her side, court records say.
The officers eventually detained Wheeler, who was uncooperative and yelled, “Sorry!” and “I don’t beat women!” according to court documents. A Taser was also used against Wheeler, which the charging documents said had little effect.
At a hospital, the woman told investigators Wheeler told her to stand up and bow to him and when she refused, he threw her on the bed, choking her and trying to smother her, court documents say.
She began to lose consciousness and tried to fight back but Wheeler grabbed her arm and twisted it, the court file says. She then lost consciousness for an unknown length of time.
When she regained consciousness, the woman saw Wheeler by the bed and he said, “Wow, you’re alive?” Then she ran into the bathroom, where she called her family and 911, according to the case file.
Wheeler picked the lock to the bathroom and entered, then began apologizing. Officers arrived at the scene and arrested Wheeler.
Charging documents say the woman had a fractured humerus bone and dislocated elbow in her left arm. She also had lesions on her neck, some in the shape of fingermarks.
Doctors also said they believe the swelling and bruising to the victim’s face was the result strikes and punches, according to the charging papers. The victim said she did not remember Wheeler striking her.
Prosecutors say if convicted on the charges, sentencing range can be anywhere from 8 to 12 years.
Wheeler is 6-foot-7 and 310 pounds, and the victim is 5-9 and 145 pounds, the report said.
SUPER BOWL: The NFL has selected three people who have served during the coronavirus pandemic as honorary captains for the Super Bowl along with inaugural poet Amanda Gorman for an original poem.
Commissioner Roger Goodell announced that educator Trimaine Davis, nurse manager Suzie Dorner and Marine veteran James Martin will take part in the coin toss on Feb. 7 in Tampa, Florida. The trio was picked for embodying the NFL’s message of “It Takes All of Us” this season.
Gorman, the country’s first National Youth Poet Laureate, recited “The Hill We Climb” at the Biden inauguration Jan. 20. She will recite her poem about the trio’s impact before the game, which will be televised and shown inside Raymond James Stadium.
Davis made sure to get his students and their families in Los Angeles devices and internet access, and he also hosted tech workshops to help people learn how to use the devices.
Dorner, who lost two grandparents to COVID-19, is the COVID ICU nurse manager at Tampa General Hospital and represents healthcare workers across the country as honorary captain.
Martin helped veterans, high school athletes and local youth connect virtually through the Wounded Warrior Project and by livestreaming events in Pittsburgh. He volunteered to livestream every home football game for Aliquippa High School so families could watch. He also has taken in needy children in his neighborhood.
LIONS: The Detroit Lions hired offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn, who led the Los Angeles Chargers for four seasons before being fired earlier this month.
Detroit added Lynn to first-year coach Dan Campbell’s staff, days after hiring Aaron Glenn to be their defensive coordinator.
Lynn had a 33-31 record in the regular season and was 1-1 in the playoffs with the Chargers from 2017 to 2020. He was 0-1 as interim coach of the Buffalo Bills in 2016 when he also served as offensive coordinator for 14 games.
The Lions also announced they hired assistant general manager Ray Agnew and senior personnel executive John Dorsey, a former general manager for the Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns. The latest additions to the front office are designed to build a veteran-laden support staff to work with first-time general manager Brad Holmes.
Agnew was director of pro scouting the past four years with the Los Angeles Rams, working with Holmes as he led their college scouting department during his 18-year career with the franchise. Agnew worked for the Rams for 14 seasons after his playing career.
Dorsey was the Chiefs’ general manager from 2013 to 2016 and was Cleveland’s general manager for the following three seasons. He was a front office consultant last season with the Philadelphia Eagles.
COWBOYS: Jason Witten says he is retiring again, apparently for good this time.
The longtime Dallas tight end who spent his final season with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020 told ESPN he was walking away “knowing that for 17 seasons I gave it my absolute all.”
The 38-year-old Witten retired the first time after the 2017 season with Dallas to become an analyst for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football.”
Witten said he started having second thoughts early in his TV tenure, and he returned for a club-record 16th year with the Cowboys in 2019. Witten is also the franchise leader in games, starts, catches and yards receiving.
When Coach Jason Garrett was let go after the Cowboys missed the playoffs amid high expectations a year ago, there wasn’t a place on the roster for Witten.
The 11-time Pro Bowler joined several former Dallas teammates with the Raiders and had career lows with 13 catches for 69 yards. But Witten did score twice, giving him 74 career touchdowns.
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