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Peyton Manning is one of the NFL's most prominent players, and his trophy cabinet rivals some of the sport's greatest players, period! He reshaped what it meant to be a quarterback in the 21st century, and you could never count him out until the final whistle.
A legend of two of the sport's biggest franchises, Peyton Manning bowed out in style. He won his second Super Bowl with the Denver Broncos and left other QBs trailing in his wake as regards to the GOAT debate.
Many nicknames were used for Manning in his 18-year career, and here, we will expand on probably the most prominent one.
Do people call Peyton Manning the Sheriff?
Yes, people call Peyton Manning the Sheriff. It is a nickname that he has owned since 2009 when it first came to prominence during a Monday Night Football game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Miami Dolphins.
One of the commentators that day, future Las Vegas Raiders coach Jon Gruden, repeatedly uttered it while drooling over Manning's stellar play that night.
His reasoning behind bestowing the nickname on Manning was that Manning "lays down the law" in opposing teams' stadiums. Furthermore, Gruden noted that Manning had a habit of manipulating his offense at the line of scrimmage through his audibles. The nickname stuck that night and, as they say, the rest is history.
Is Peyton Manning the GOAT quarterback?
The NFL has had several generationally talented quarterbacks, and no position has won the coveted NFL MVP more than the quarterback position. Quarterbacks are usually referred to as shot callers, ball handlers, and the equivalent of point guards in the game of basketball.
Few players have embodied the royalty that comes with being QB1 like Manning, and it is for that reason that many consider him the GOAT quarterback. However, unlike in a couple of sports like golf, soccer, and hockey, the GOAT quarterback debate isn't easy to settle.
Sure, Manning won the most MVPs, he has the most passing touchdowns in a season, the most passing yards in a season, and he is the all-time game-winning drives leader.
However, we mustn't forget that a certain fellow named Tom Brady has just about broken almost every record set by Manning and the other GOAT quarterback contender Joe Montana.
No doubt Peyton Manning is one of the greatest players to step foot on the Gridiron, but he may just fall short of being the greatest quarterback in history. That honor, in the minds of many, belongs to the winningest player in the history of the sport, and he's currently playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Peyton Manning's legacy
The Indianapolis Colts drafted Peyton Manning in the 1998 NFL Draft. Throughout his career, he earned plaudits, fans, and supporters for his general style of play.
He was a two-time Super Bowl champion, a Super Bowl MVP, a five-time NFL Most Valuable Player award winner, a two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year, a 14-time Pro Bowl selection, and so much more.
The football legend retired from the game in 2015 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021 (his first year of eligibility).
