Fifteen years ago, when Peyton Manning was playing with the Indianapolis Colts, former NFL Head Coach, Jon Gruden dubbed the ex-QB as ‘The Sheriff’ — a nickname which is not a mere catchy label, it truly reflects how commanding Manning was on the gridiron.
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Now, years later, as the two-time Super Bowl champion sat down for an interview on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast, shot at Manning’s Knoxville bar, Saloon 16, the 48-year-old shared what the moniker means to him and why he prefers to use it rarely.
Manning joked that if anyone ever hears the Tennessee alum referring to himself as ‘The Sheriff,’ they should ‘shoot him’ without hesitation.
“If you ever hear me referring to myself as a sheriff, shoot me, please,” he said, leaving co-host Will Compton bursting into laughter.
The five-time NFL MVP believes that even if he starts using the moniker in texts or introductions, his two brothers would never let it go and would mock him endlessly.
Looking back at the time when Gruden coined the nickname, Manning also recalled how the ex-head coach said the iconic phrase that started it all, “When Peyton comes to town, he lays down the law, and he always gets his man.” Goosebumps, indeed!
Gruden, who is now an advisor for the Milano Seamen of the European League of Football, saw Manning not just as a leader but as an NFL icon who consistently delivered results—just like a sheriff who never misses the mark.
However, while Manning appreciates the respect and responds to fans calling him by the nicknames ‘The Sheriff’ or ‘Omaha,’ another moniker that gained traction in NFL circles during his tenure with the Denver Broncos, he prefers to remain humble.
Peyton avoids any self-reference to these titles even though they are quite popular, saying, “I will never go third person on you, saying, ‘You know, the Sheriff’s here.'”
Additionally, Manning did share how his former Broncos teammate, Von Miller, who played with him from 2012 to 2015, often called him by the moniker and rarely used anything else.
The 1998 NFL draftee’s rise to earn such a title spanned 18 seasons in the NFL, split between the Indianapolis Colts and the Denver Broncos. From the moment he joined the Colts, Manning became the architect of the offense, completely revamping the struggling team and leading them to their first Super Bowl win in 2006 after 36 years.
After a neck surgery that could have derailed his career, he joined the Broncos in 2012 and continued to “lay down the law.” Manning led the club to four division titles, two Super Bowl appearances, and a Super Bowl (50) win.
One look at his stellar career, with its 45-degree diagonal line, and there’s no one more deserving of the title than Peyton Manning. During his playing days, he commanded respect, demanded the best from everyone, and consistently delivered results. Undeniably, this made him one of the greatest quarterbacks in the annals of NFL history!
