Tom Brady tortured plenty of teams throughout his legendary NFL career.
That includes the Indianapolis Colts, who were Brady’s top AFC rivals for years when Peyton Manning was leading the franchise.
Brady vs. Manning became a postseason staple in the early 2000s with three classic matchups between 2003 and 2006.
The Colts were a powerhouse during that span, winning at least 12 games in all four years.
Yet Brady eliminated them in the 2003 AFC Championship Game, and then yet again in the following year’s Divisional Round.
It was not until the 2006 season when the Colts took down the New England Patriots en route to a Super Bowl title.
That was the only one the Colts would win with Manning.
Fans in Indianapolis are left wondering what could have been if Brady was not launching a dynasty during Manning’s prime.
That is why the team’s official Twitter account had a hilarious tweet to honor their rival’s retirement.
Going to miss you, @TomBrady. pic.twitter.com/u0at0Ek1Ox
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) February 1, 2022
There is a SpongeBob clip for everything and the Colts nailed this reference.
No longer fearing Brady is truly a cause for celebration.
Even More Postseason Turmoil
Brady dominating the Colts was not just reserved for when Manning was in town.
He also eliminated the team in back-to-back postseasons, 2013 and 2014, which included the Deflategate scandal following the 2014 AFC Championship Game.
Any hope Andrew Luck had of launching a Brady-like start to his career was taken away by the inspiration himself.
Clubs that defeated teams led by Tom Brady in the postseason:
Colts: 1
Eagles: 1
Jets: 1
Rams: 1
Titans: 1
Giants: 2
Ravens: 2DENVER BRONCOS: 3
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) January 29, 2022
The Colts are just one of many teams who had a tough go against the legend.
AFC East teams in particular spent nearly two decades waiting for him to leave.
Yet even with him gone, new challengers are rising up to his crown of being known as the GOAT.
Teams like the Colts must now adapt and make sure they don’t fall further behind once again as new quarterbacks reach stardom.
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