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NY Giants can count Eli Manning's brother Peyton Manning among those cheering ...

22.05.12

SAN FRANCISCO — Outside the visitors’ locker room at Candlestick Park Sunday night, Peyton Manning, the Indianapolis Colts quarterback, embraced his younger brother, Eli, and exchanged pleasantries. The two talked for several minutes as Giants players funneled out toward the idling buses, then the elder Manning stepped out into the night.

“Go Giants,” Peyton said. “It’s all about the Giants now.” The Manning brothers will reunite in Peyton’s town for Super Bowl XLVI against the New England Patriots. Peyton, who won his lone championship against the Saints in January of 2007, will stand by as Eli, who threw two pivotal touchdown passes in the 20-17 victory over the 49ers for the NFC Championship, prepares for his second Super Bowl in five years. Both earned Most Valuable Player honors in their Super Bowl appearances. “It’s what I expected him to do,” Peyton said. “I’m just proud of Eli and how well he’s played this year. He’s been awesome. He’s been clutch.” The 35-year-old sat out the entire season after undergoing a spinal fusion on Sept. 8. The surgery was intended to repair a damaged nerve in his neck that caused weakness in his throwing arm. It was Manning’s third neck surgery in 19 months and the most risky and complicated of the three. It is not known whether he will be able to play again. “There’s nothing Eli hasn’t seen now in his career,” said Peyton, who is four years older than Eli. “It was different when he was younger and there was some things that I could help him with.” Peyton maintained that their communication did not increase this season with his open schedule. The two discussed opposing defenses on Fridays, then spoke again after the games. In playing the Patriots, Eli will be matched against Peyton’s nemesis and long-time rival, the brilliant defensive mind of New England coach Bill Belichick. Eli led the Giants to a last-minute 24-20 victory over the Patriots in Gillette Stadium on Nov. 6. It will also be a rematch of Super Bowl XLII, when Eli engineered a thrilling victory over the Patriots. “He knows what’s ahead of him,” Peyton said.

Source: New York Daily News