Peyton Manning didn’t just play quarterback; he redefined it. The guy was a walking playbook, single-handedly changing the way how things were done right at the line of scrimmage. Say his name, and fans instantly think of his legendary audibles. “Balboa, Balboa” meant left because, of course, Rocky was a southpaw. Whereas, “Ice cream, ice cream” was his way of telling the team to calm down and that there was nothing yet. More than anything, he was a leader who knew exactly how to get the best out of his team.
It’s been almost ten years since the five-time NFL MVP winner and two-time Super Bowl winner retired, but his passion for the game remains. And instead of passing the football, he now passes chunks of knowledge to those wanting to learn. And in a new video uploaded on Instagram, we can see just that. Former Colts QB Peyton Manning teaching Notre Dame college football players about what it takes to be a leader. The caption also left like something Peyton would always follow as a QB and a leader. “Being a leader isn’t about yelling commands, it’s about showing your teammates what greatness looks like, every single day,” it read.
And Peyton explained exactly that in the video to the young chaps. Talking from experience, Peyton talked about how ‘The Greats’ usually train the hardest and lead by example. “The best teams I played on, our best players practiced the hardest every day. They set the example every day. They were sitting in meetings, taking notes, paying attention,” he said. Peyton himself used to cover tapes of about 10 games against a side to prepare for them, alone as well as with the position coach.
From his experience, young players would almost always try to replicate what the best players did. So, for a good player, it becomes a responsibility to do all these things because then younger players would watch him. “Our young players are like, holy cow, this is how this is how they do it here, right? I’m gonna, I’m gonna take notes, I’m gonna pay attention. We got on the practice field full speed. I mean, taking snaps, full-speed walkthroughs,” Peyton added, explaining the psyche and the thought process of the young players. Manning also shared that their practices would often be intense, and the situation would be very similar to how it is in a game. For them, that just set the tone.
Peyton, having been a legendary player and played 17 years in the NFL, also has quite an eye for talent when he sees it. His nephew, aka Cooper Manning‘s son, Arch Manning, is currently playing with the Texas Longhorns and is predicted to go in the draft within the next couple of years. Peyton also gave us an insight into Arch and how he plays.
Peyton Manning talks about his nephew, Arch Manning
Arch is the next generation of Manning’s to play college football, and hopefully the NFL within the next two years. Naturally, there’s a lot of interest and hype around him about whether he’ll meet the standards of his uncles. And who better to ask this question than his uncle himself? So when the chance came, Pat McAfee did not let it go and got candid with him about Arch.
When asked about how Peyton felt about Arch and his performance at the Longhorns on the Pat McAfee Show, he got down and gave us his thoughts. Talking about the way he’s been raised, Peyton was all praise about Cooper and how he took every challenge by the horns and tackled it. “Eli and I… We try to be there as a resource for them. But you know, Cooper has done a great job with Arch, and they’ve handled all the different things that have come their way in the right way,” he said.
Peyton also talked about how he was impressed by the way Arch was in the camp and expressed his excitement in watching him play. “I’m excited to watch Arch play. He’s been very patient. I thought he threw the ball really well at the camp…it’s impressive. I mean, they make throws that I wouldn’t even think about making,” he said, appreciating the quality of play Arch has. And even though this is Arch’s first season as the Texas starter, Peyton feels that he fits their system.
“He’s been patient. It’s been well documented — the fact that he’s been there two years. I’m such a believer in mastering the system that you’re in,” Peyton said. He also emphasized that knowing the system in a team is the first step to being a good player. Peyton believes that being in Texas for two years has helped Arch get to know the system and train accordingly. And now everyone has their eyes fixed on how the next-gen Manning does on the field.
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