Super Bowl XLVIII is taking over MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday after much concern about the weather [1] possibly forcing the game to be rescheduled. The climate will surely still be cold, but the game will go on with the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos heating up the field. Leading the teams will be quarterbacks Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson, who are already on the East Coast prepping for the big matchup. There's no denying the athletes both have good looks on their side, but that's about where the similarities stop. Peyton's been in the game for 16 seasons, while Russell only has two under his belt. Keep reading for more head-to-head stats — and eye-to-eye candy — on the Super Bowl quarterbacks.
Vital Stats
- Peyton: 37 years old, 6'5", 230 lbs., Aries
- Russell: 25 years old, 5'11", 206 lbs., Sagittarius
Hometown Hotties
- Peyton: Born and raised in New Orleans, he later attended the University of Tennessee, where he played football.
- Russell: Born in Cincinnati and raised in Richmond, VA, Russell played football and baseball at North Carolina State University before transferring to the University of Wisconsin to play football.
Relationship Statuses
- Peyton: Married Ashley Thompson on St. Patrick's Day 2001 in her hometown of Memphis, TN, after first meeting freshman year of college. Peyton and Ashley have almost-3-year-old twins, Marshall and Mosley.
- Russell: Married Ashton Meem on Jan. 14, 2012, in Richmond, VA, after meeting briefly in high school and dating throughout college. They have three dogs: Penny, Cali, and Prince.
Sports Illustrated Cover Stars
- Peyton: He's fronted the mag 14 times, including his latest as the sportsman of the year for 2013.
- Russell: Nabbed his first cover in 2013 as one of three featured NFL Preview stars.
Winning Moments
- Peyton: Has one Super Bowl ring, has been named NFL MVP four times, and holds hundreds of other individual records.
- Russell: Was named NFL rookie of the year in 2012 and led the Seahawks to the NFC Championship in 2014.
- Peyton and Russell: Share the record for most passing touchdowns in a rookie season.
ESPY History
- Peyton: He's been a staple at the annual show since he first won the best college player award in 1998. He's since picked up three additional honors and shared the stage with Carmen Electra [2], actress Kate Walsh [3], Olympian Jennie Finch, and Jessica Biel [4].
- Russell: He attended for the first time in 2013, when he presented alongside model Chrissy Teigen.
Fanboys
- Peyton on Russell: "I met Russell Wilson, believe it or not, when I was visiting the Broncos. Let’s call it March or April (of 2012). It was an exciting time in his life, getting ready for the draft. So, I wished him luck and told him I enjoyed watching his college career. I had a chance to shake his hand after the two preseason games we played the last two years."
- Russell on Peyton: "Obviously, Peyton Manning is a Hall of Fame quarterback who I have a ton of respect for. I actually went to the Peyton Manning Passing Academy when I was young. I liked him so much back then and I still do."
Commercial Success
Peyton: Cracked us up in his spots for MasterCard and keeps the laughs coming in ads for DirectTV, Papa John's, and more.
Russell: Grabbed laughs alongside Colin Kaepernick in a "Summer Camp" promo for Madden 25 in 2013.
Social Stats
- Peyton: Does press conferences, but doesn't use social media.
- Russell: Active on Twitter [5] and Instagram [6].