Peyton Manning’s 10 Funniest Off-Field Moments
After 18 seasons, two Super Bowl rings and five MVP titles, Peyton Manning has officially turned in his shoulder pads.
Is he the greatest quarterback to ever play the game? Perhaps. Is he the most accomplished sketch comedian to ever set the NFL record for most career touchdown passes? Most definitely.
Here, we take a look back at a handful of The Sheriff’s most side-splitting appearances away from the gridiron.
SNL ‘United Way’ Sketch
Saturday Night Live has a long history of great athlete hosts — the likes of Wayne Gretzky, Derek Jeter and LeBron James have all graced the stage in Studio 8H. But Peyton might just be the king of them all, and this classic sketch from 2007 has become his comedic calling card.
First Appearance on Letterman
After making a cameo during David Letterman’s farewell show, Peyton penned a heartfelt tribute to the late night icon. “I’ll always be a Letterman guy,” he wrote. Their easy chemistry was evident from the get-go, as this 1997 appearance — filmed during Peyton’s senior season at Tennessee — proves. “The kid’s got writers!” Letterman laughs after Manning delivers a couple of zingers.
ESPN ‘This is SportsCenter’ Commercial
There have been plenty of incredible ‘This is SportsCenter’ commercials over the years. (See: here, here and here.) This one still reigns supreme.
DirecTV ‘Football Cops’ Commercial
And so begins the DirecTV portion of this list. Back in 2011, the satellite provider enlisted Peyton and Eli for this incredible moustachioed ’70s cop show spoof.
DirecTV ‘Football On Your Phone’ Commercial
A couple of years later, they decked the brothers out in fake tans, acid wash jeans and truly horrifying wigs for a ’90s rap song about watching football on your phone.
DirecTV ‘Fantasy Football Fantasy’ Commercial
And then, finally, they wrapped things up in 2014 with this infuriatingly catchy number that’s probably still stuck in your head.
Explaining the ‘Omaha’ Call
Why did Peyton yell “Omaha” before virtually every snap of his career? This is the closest thing you’ll find to an explanation.
SNL ‘Locker Room Dance’ Sketch
SNL great Will Forte once told Fast Company that this unforgettable sketch ranked as one of his all-time favourites.
ESPYs ‘The Blind Side’ Spoof
This recut version of The Blind Side — which turned the uplifting sports flick into a psychological thriller — absolutely killed during the 2010 ESPY Awards.
Catching Up with Eli on The Tonight Show
Following Peyton’s final triumph at Super Bowl 50 — and Eli’s infamous non-reaction during the game’s waning moments— Jimmy Fallon gave the QB a chance to ask his kid brother a few important questions.
