Peyton Manning
During Hurricane Katrina, Eli joined his brother Peyton to help the Red Cross bring supplies to victims. It’s hard to know who has donated more money to charity between the two Manning brothers. Since 1999, Peyton’s PeyBack Foundation has provided over $10 million to provide leadership and growth for at-risk youth, for which he received a National Jefferson Award for outstanding achievement in public service. Since 1998, Manning and his wife have donated an undisclosed amount to Indianapolis’ St. Vincent Hospital, which renamed its children’s hospital the Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at St. Vincent in 2007. With Manning now playing for the Denver Broncos, his foundation donated $630,000 to Colorado causes last year. Peyton received the 2015 Bart Starr Award in recognition of his charity work, as well.
Tom Brady
Just as fans debate whether Peyton Manning or Tom Brady is the better quarterback, it’s not clear who has given more to charity. One variable that makes it hard to count who gave more is Brady’s wife Gisele Bundchen, who outranked Eli Manning on Forbes’ 2012 list of most generous celebrities for her $1.5 million donation to Red Cross Haiti relief efforts.
Brady actively raises funds for Best Buddies International, which helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities by pairing them with friends and mentors. Brady recently donated his $170,000 speaking fee to the organization, and the Best Buddies Tom Brady Football Challenge awarded one winning donor the opportunity to play with Brady in a touch football game.
Brady also works with other charities, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, the Entertainment Industry Foundation and KaBOOM! This month he donated $50,000 to the Jimmy Fund, which supports adult and pediatric cancer care and research.
