Being a world-famous athlete brings it perks sometimes. For former Colts and Broncos QB Peyton Manning, it meant that he could enjoy a cigar with his teammates despite being under a refueling aircraft.
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During his 18 seasons in the NFL, Peyton Manning did it all. He won a Super Bowl with both Indianapolis and Denver, he was named to the Pro Bowl a whopping 14 times, and his five league MVP trophies remains an unbroken NFL record to this day.
Of course, being as dominant as he was, the Sheriff won himself a fair share of fans. On the field, he was a fierce competitor who dedicated his life to the game and off the field, Manning was, and still is, an extremely charismatic family man who rarely got into any trouble.
So, understandably, if the average person were to see Manning in public, it’s safe to say they would be a little awestruck. The 45 year old, now a hall-of-famer, probably has no shortage of stories when it comes to fan interactions, but this tale from Ryan Diem is particularly entertaining.
Peyton Manning could get away with smoking a cigar next to a plane
Diem, who was an offensive guard on the Colts for a decade, once narrated to the Indy Star an interesting Peyton Manning story. “So after games on the road, when we’d win, we’d celebrate on the tarmac with some cigars,” Diem explained.
“We’d be standing there, underneath the plane, where the luggage goes. We’d just talk about the game, the plays, general locker room BS. Just Peyton and some select offensive players. One time they were fueling up the plane about 100 feet from us, and one of the security workers sees us.”
“Says, ‘Hey, you guys gotta put those cigars out!’ Then he looked up and saw Peyton. Peyton just kind’ve looked at him. The guy says, ‘Oh, never mind, it’s all right. Just be careful.’”
It might not seem like the biggest abuse of a celebrity’s influence, but having an open flame anywhere near a refueling aircraft is, needless to say, a pretty big safety hazard.
But, in fairness, it’s not everyday you see Peyton Manning in the flesh.
