Eli Manning had to protect big-brother Peyton Manning when Tom Brady was bullying his NFL career around. No, not really, but he is looking to protect Peyton's legacy.

Peyton Manning About To Have More In Common With Tom Brady

"Honestly, I think there's maybe too much placed on rings and Super Bowl championships just because because it's not one player," Eli said, per NFL.com. "The QB is not the sole reason that you win a championship, it's the team.

"I hope he can win, but his impact has already been made and his legacy -- I don't think this one game, whether it will or not, shouldn't be affected by this one game."

How Winning The Super Bowl Would Affect Manning's Retirement Odds

While Eli's logic is sound -- one game can't erase 18 years of prolific QB play -- that's not how today's world works. Blogs, podcasts, a channel dedicated to show football 24 hours a day, has empowered Monday Morning QBs.

For them, Eli's comments will read like nothing more than a preemptive excuse. A third Super Bowl loss will fit the narrative for those looking to chip away at Peyton's achievements.

And they'll have a voice too.

It doesn't help that Tom Brady -- the man permanently attached to Peyton's legacy -- will retire with at least four Super Bowl rings. As much as football is the ultimate team sport, Peyton desperately needs his second to silence critics once and for all.

Should he fail, he'll be forced to live with a 1-3 Super Bowl caveat.

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