Why did Peyton Manning say he won’t be coaching in the NFL anytime soon?
Peyton Manning has his reasons for not wanting to pursue a coaching career in the NFL, and they all make sense
Since Peyton Manning’s retirement from the NFL in 2015, there have been continuous calls for his return as a head coach or offensive coordinator. But the former Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts quarterback put all that to rest on The Colin Cowherd Podcast this week.
Manning said he knew the year after he retired that he had no interest in coaching. His former head coach Tony Dungy had advised Manning to take the year off and decide what he wanted to do next in his life. And that’s when Manning knew he did not want to pursue that career.
“I didn’t think I’d be a very good coach. I was good at calling plays when I was playing quarterback, I’m not very good when other people are playing quarterback.”
In addition to knowing his place, Manning’s experience coaching his son’s sixth-grade football team is also partially to blame.
Manning learns lesson from son’s football team
“I’m the offensive coordinator on my son Marshall’s sixth-grade football team. We got beat in overtime on Saturday and a couple of my players asked me why I ran the ball so much in the red zone,” Manning said. “So, I think coaching in my future is also out because hearing that from a couple of sixth graders is tough. Hearing that from a 32-year-old wide receiver or quarterback, ‘Hey I haven’t gotten the ball. What are you doing?’ I think that’s out.”
While Manning was unequivocally one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history who played in 293 games during his 18 years in the league, the 46-year-old said he is not interested in taking on the daily grind that a coach has to go through.
He already has a lot going on on his plate, from being a game show host, to calling ManningCast broadcasts for Monday Night Football, doing Peyton’s Places, and putting together Omaha Productions alternate feeds for other sports.
Additionally, the five-time MVP is a part owner of the Denver Broncos, who does various broadcasting gigs. It seems that the legend’s plate is full, and he’s not planning on adding on to that anytime soon.