Legendary NFL quarterbacks Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees all won Super Bowl rings in their illustrious careers. Brady has gone on to become a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Manning spends time on the air with his brother Eli on their “ManningCast” show during “Monday Night Football.” As for Brees, he is a co-owner of the New Orleans Saints, where he established himself as a stellar quarterback and team leader.
Despite all these accolades, one former Super Bowl champion does not believe they are generational talents. Who said this, and what were they thinking?
What Did Ryan Clark Say About Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees?
Ryan Clark, who won a Super Bowl ring with the Pittsburgh Steelers and was a standout player in college at LSU, doesn’t think these three legends reach the “generational talent” level.
Clark defended his position while appearing on ESPN’s “First Take” on Thursday, Sept. 4. NFL reporter Dov Kleiman shared the clip on X.
“I think John Elway was a generational talent,” Clark said. “Patrick Mahomes is a generational talent. I don’t think Tom Brady, I don’t think Drew Brees, I don’t think Peyton Manning are generational talents. I think Andrew Luck ended up being a generational talent. I don’t think there’s a ton of them out there.”
ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky countered Clark’s comments and asked, “Then how does one in your eyes be a generational talent? Because there’s not a lot of difference…”
Insane: Ryan Clark doesn’t think Tom Brady, Drew Brees, or Peyton Manning were generational talents…
“I don’t think Tom Brady, I don’t think Drew Brees, I don’t think Peyton Manning are generational talents.”
😳😳😳 pic.twitter.com/KrudzSlZSV
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 4, 2025
ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith then interjected and said, “Production. Let me chime in here because I love the argument back and forth between y’all, I ain’t trying to get between that.
“The operative word here is ‘is,'” Smith said. “Do you believe Arch Manning is a generational talent? He could be. But he’s not. Not yet. What have you seen to say that he is?”
The New Orleans Saints’ social media team responded to Clark’s remarks by posting graphics of the all-time leaders in passing yards and passing touchdowns, with Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Peyton Manning completing the top three of both lists.
https://t.co/BTT7M4K3xt pic.twitter.com/galDK5cRWK
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) September 4, 2025
It’s quite a statement from Clark that Brady, Manning, and Brees don’t measure up to his definition of generational talent. Brady won seven Super Bowl rings in his career, and their records speak for themselves.
