After a season peppered with fight backs The New York Giants' Eli Manning saved his best for last in Sunday's Super Bowl win.
So long in the shadow of older brother Peyton, Eli put that debate to bed with his second NFL championship as well as his second Super Bowl MVP award for guiding the Giants to a 21-17 victory over the New England Patriots.
Manning threw 30 for 40 for 296 yards with a touchdown pass and no interceptions and seemed to revel in yet another tense finish.
"We've had a bunch of them this year. We've had some fourth-quarter comebacks," Manning said.
"We'd been in those situations, and we knew that we had no more time left. We had to go down and score, and guys stepped up and made great plays."
Manning found Ahmad Bradshaw for the match-winning touchdown drive in the last minute and became the first quarterback to complete his first nine attempts in a Super Bowl.
Triumphant Giants coach Tom Coughlin was clearly impressed.
"That was quite a drive that he was able to put together," Coughlin said.
"He deserves all the credit in the world, because he really has put his team on his shoulders all year."
"We had this goal to finish, finish, finish and win the fourth quarter," he said.
Manning becomes one of only five players in NFL history to win multiple Super Bowl MVP awards. He joins elite company, with Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, Terry Bradshaw, Bart Starr and Joe Montana all having claimed the honour.
Clutching the silver Vince Lombardi Trophy in Indianapolis' Lucas Oil stadium, Eli was elated with the victory.
"It just feels good to win a Super Bowl. Doesn't matter where you are," he said.