Manning, Brady reached out to grieving Carr family

Two Super Bowl champion quarterbacks reached out to Tammi and Jason Carr during their immense grief last December, the month after their 5-year-old son, Chad, passed away from an inoperable brain tumor.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, the former Michigan quarterback and teammate of Jason Carr, who played for Chad's grandfather, Lloyd, while with the Wolverines, met after a game with the Carrs and Chad's two older brothers during a family vacation in Florida.

Perhaps that's not so surprising considering Brady's connection to Michigan.  But Tammi Carr, who has been open with the public via social media from the moment of her son's diagnosis and since Chad's death in November -- she and Jason created the ChadTough Foundation -- shared a note the family received from Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning.

Manning sent a hand-written note on personal stationary to the Carrs last month. Tammi Carr shared the note on Facebook and Twitter on Sunday. Manning's Broncos advanced to the Super Bowl, defeating Brady's Patriots.

Manning’s letter, dated Dec. 15, reads, in part:

Dear Carr family,

I am very sorry for your loss. Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers during this time.

“Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4)

I watched the ESPN special on your son Chad. His courage and fighting spirit is inspirational.

Beilein for ChadTough

Michigan basketball coach John Beilein is beginning round two of the Infiniti Coaches Charity Challenge. Voting reopens Monday at 1 p.m. on ESPN.com, and people can vote daily. Beilein dominated the first round. The winning coach receives $100,000 to donate to a charity, and Beilien has designated the ChadTough Foundation as his choice.