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Peyton Manning wasn't always one of the best quarterbacks in the league. While he compiled a 13-3 record in his second season in the NFL, Manning had a bad rookie year.
He was the No. 1 pick by the Colts in the 1998 NFL draft and started for the Colts right away. He compiled a 3-13 starting record while throwing 26 touchdowns and a league-leading 28 interceptions while completing just 56.7 percent of passes.
On TikTok, yervakin, a popular TikTok page, posted a throwback clip of Manning recalling a time when his coaches called him stupid for throwing a hail-mary pick-six.
Manning said:
"That rookie year, I remember we won three games that year. One of them was against the New York Jets who were a great team and they've gone to the AFC championship. I was already leading the league in interceptions at that point already thrown two in the first half.
"Coaches say, 'Hey, just throw a Hail Mary just throw it deep.' I'm thinking this is an automatic interception I mean 50-yard line, there's no way my receivers are gonna have time to get down there."
Peyton Manning added that his coaches called him stupid for throwing a 109-yard pick-six to Aaron Glenn.
He said:
"I actually run 9 yards to about the 41-yard line fight and all of a sudden referee says ‘All right, one second left’. Coaches go ‘Hey, great job smart play way to be heads up, that's good thinking.’
"I'm really feeling good. Go out there and kick a field goal and Aaron Glenn catches the ball on the back of the endzone and runs 109 yards for a touchdown the other way and the coaches go, ‘You are so stupid.yWhy did you do that? We told you to throw it in the endzone.'"
Peyton Manning went on to have a Hall-of-Fame career despite his slow rookie season
Despite a poor rookie season, Manning went on to have one of the best careers in NFL history for a quarterback.
He won five MVPs, two Super Bowls, had 14 Pro Bowls and 10 All-Pro selections and two Offensive Player of the Year awards, and made the Hall of Fame in 2021.
He set the record for most passing yards (5,477) and touchdowns (55) in a single season in 2013.
Peyton Manning is proof that even if a rookie QB has a bad season, they can go on to be great while adjusting to the league.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Peyton Manning, yervakin, and H/T Sportskeeda.
