Quarterback Peyton Manning led the Indianapolis Colts into Super Bowl XLIV yesterday to take on the New Orleans Saints.
Although Manning threw for 333 yards on 31-of-45 passing and a touchdown, the Saints defeated the Colts 31-17 to win their first Super Bowl in team history. Despite not being able to win his second championship, Manning had at least one person in his corner: Duke head coach David Cutcliffe.
“I am going to pull for the Indianapolis Colts,” Cutcliffe said last week. “I did have the pleasure of coaching their quarterback Peyton Manning in college... and I’m pulling all the way for my man Peyton.”
Before Manning started his Hall-of-Fame-caliber career in the NFL, the four-time NFL MVP played at Tennessee where Cutcliffe served as the Volunteers’ offensive coordinator. Manning blossomed in Cutcliffe’s offense and took over under center early in his first season. Over the course of his career, Manning shattered the school’s records, becoming Tennessee’s all-time leading passer with 11,201 yards and 89 touchdowns. He amassed a 39-6 record at quarterback, earning the most wins in SEC history.
One of the streets surrounding the Volunteers’ football stadium was even named “Peyton Manning Pass”.
And yet over a decade after Manning and Cutcliffe took the Volunteers to the 1998 Orange Bowl, the two remain close friends. Manning even had his former coach’s ear the night before National Signing Day.
“I had a couple kids I was trying to get on the phone I couldn’t get on the phone,” Cutcliffe said. “You know the world has caller ID now, so I’m at the point where I’m really mad. Then my phone rings, and I didn’t really want to talk to anybody and I said ‘Goddangit, who is this?’ I looked down and it was Peyton.”
Cutcliffe has a unique connection to the Manning family. In addition to reaching the national spotlight with Peyton, Cutcliffe also coached Peyton’s younger brother, Eli, at Ole Miss. The younger Manning went on to win the Maxwell Award as the nation’s top all-around player and threw for 10,286 yards and 84 touchdowns. Eli Manning has gone on to achieve considerable success in the NFL, also winning a Super Bowl MVP award with the New York Giants in 2008.
And last Wednesday, when Peyton Manning spent the day talking to reporters on Super Bowl Media Day, the 12-year veteran still made time to call Cutcliffe to discuss the sport they both love.
“We ended up having about a 50-minute talk, and it put me in a good mood,” Cutcliffe said. “I got to talk some Xs and Os, got to hear about his work week and the circumstances surrounding the ballgame. We got into details of pass protection and routes.... I had fun.”
Even though Super Bowl XLIV did not fare well for Manning, the future Hall of Fame quarterback is still in the prime of his career. His passion for the game developed during his time at Tennessee, and Manning believes Cutcliffe is on his way to creating a similar winning tradition in Durham.
“Peyton loves it here [at Duke], he really does,” Cutcliffe said. “He loves this staff, he loves the persona of the place, and he enjoyed his time here when he came and stayed with me for about three days and he understood exactly what we are trying to do here.”
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