Peyton Manning refuses to drop QB rankings after Jalen Hurts called him out for last year’s snub

Peyton Manning’s QB rankings are officially canceled, and we can all thank Jalen Hurts for that.

Every offseason, the NFL’s talking heads fill dead air with rankings, hot takes, and quarterback lists no one asked for. And for the past few years, Peyton Manning has joined that chorus, putting out his own top five list of current quarterbacks. That tradition? Dead and buried. Because last year, when Peyton left Jalen Hurts off his list, Hurts hit him with a text that sent the Sheriff into early retirement.

Peyton Manning refused to give his Top 5 QB list after Jalen Hurts texted him last year. 👏🤣 pic.twitter.com/HemHAYykmq

— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) June 20, 2025

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“I named five guys, and Jalen Hurts texted me like 20 minutes later, ‘I didn’t make your list?’” Manning said. “Now, Jalen’s mad at me. So, no list today.”

And just like that, Peyton Manning hung it up. One text from Hurts, and he folded faster than the Cowboys in January.

Peyton Manning couldn’t take the heat

Let’s just call it what it is — Hurts broke Peyton. The guy threw for 5,477 yards in a season, but couldn’t stomach the idea of leaving a Super Bowl quarterback off his list without catching some well-deserved pushback. Hurts didn’t go scorched earth, didn’t whine to the media — he just sent a calm, surgical “I didn’t make your list?” and left Manning stewing in shame.

For a guy who’s known for his obsessive preparation and football IQ, Peyton Manning should’ve seen this coming. Jalen Hurts has taken the Eagles to two Super Bowls in three years, won one, and did it while being a top-tier passer and elite runner. You can argue tiers all day, but leaving him off entirely? Come on, man.

The Eagles don’t need Peyton’s approval

Honestly, it’s hilarious. The Eagles are NFC favorites heading into 2025. They’ve got one of the deepest rosters in football, Hurts is locked in for the long haul, and Nick Sirianni is fresh off a bounce-back season that reminded everyone why he’s the guy. So if Peyton Manning doesn’t want to hand out credit where it’s due, that’s fine. Philly will keep stacking wins regardless.

And while Detroit or LA might try to make noise, the NFC still runs through South Philly. Hurts knows it. The Eagles know it. And apparently, so does Peyton — because now he’s too afraid to even speak on it.

Peyton Manning’s list used to be must-see TV. Now? It’s a ghost, wiped out by a single text from a quarterback who’s spent his entire career silencing doubters. Hurts didn’t beg to be included — he just reminded Peyton that he sees everything. And like most defenses he faces, Peyton Manning had no answer.