Eli Manning says he thought big brother Peyton Manning was 'done' after neck surgeries

Big brother Peyton Manning is will play in his third Super Bowl on Sunday, this time in his little brother Eli Manning's home stadium, MetLife Stadium. Peyton revealed recently that the trip to New York allowed him to meet his new niece, Lucy, for the first time. The two got the chance to have dinner together in Eli's home in Hoboken, as well. But Eli said he thought these family reunions might not have happened.

Eli told the NFL Network on Wednesday that he thought his big brother's career was over after he had his first neck surgery in May 2011 to repair a damaged nerve that had caused weakness in his throwing arm.

"I saw him after that first surgery, this neck surgery, and I was pretty much convinced that he was done," Eli said. "There was no way he could come back and play football. That first time he went and we were just throwing it in the backyard of our house. We're throwing 15 yards away, and it was a lob. He couldn't throw 15 yards on a line. It had no pop."

Peyton had three neck surgeries in 19 months, did not play in 2011 and struggled in the preseason in 2012. Eli had seen this play out before as neck issues forced his oldest brother, Cooper, to stop playing football before college.

"I remember watching his preseason game last year, and I was worried," Eli said. "I was kind of like, 'I don't know how this is going to work.' If you gotta make a throw, or someone's in your face and you can't step into the throw, can you make all those throws that you gotta make a lot of to end games?"

Peyton has bounced back and then some as he broke single-season passing yard and passing touchdown records with 5,477 and 55, respectively. Eli has watched his brother's comeback with great pride.

"Sure enough, he's been able to do it, and even this year, he's been stronger, his arm strength's been stronger, and he's been better than ever," Eli said. "So it's been an amazing journey for him and what he's overcome and for me to watch him to go through it, and the dedication to work has been inspiring."

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