I'm not a big Manning fan, but I gotta say, I was really impressed by his comeback with the Broncos. He had to teach himself to pass and throw footballs after undergoing surgery, after being told that he could never again play in the NFL. But after being let go of by the Colts, he signed with the Broncos and proceeded to have one of the greatest seasons for a quarterback in 2013, before finally choking BIG-TIME in SB 48. Other than that humiliation, I would say that he's earned his dues.
A little overrated? Yes. But there's no denying his skill and talents as a quarterback.
Yes, this is all true. He can still be a very good, if not great, athlete. However, we are talking about the elite of the elite in a worldwide comparison across all sports. To make this list, you shouldn't have enormous flaws, such as choking under pressure and being remembered as an epic disappointment when it comes to winning and leading when the stakes are the highest. Maybe he can be somewhere around 20, I don't know, but there is simply no way he should be rated higher than the athletes I listed who are as impressive statistically in their own sports but are also winners.
Just look at the list of US Athletes:
Jordan (6-time champion, 3-time champion during this period)
Shaq (4-time champion)
Kobe (5-time champion)
LeBron (2-time champion, 5-time finalist)
Jeter (5-time champion)
Duncan (5-time champion)
Brady (4-time champion, 6-time finalist)
Manning again earns the exception card because of the false notion that his team is always understaffed. He had NINE pro bowl players last season and in 2012 got to choose virtually ANY team in the NFL. His only championship came when he set records for lowest QB rating ever for a SB "MVP" and lowest QB rating ever in the playoffs for a SB winning QB. 3 TDs, 7 INTs. One game winning playoff drive in his entire career to Brady's nine.
All of the other athletes are measured by championships; Manning is measured by excuses.
Yet he is above Lionel Messi, Rafael Nadal, and Michael Phelps? Laughable.