How Peyton Manning Changed The Game — On And Off The Field

The retiring quarterback’s preparation was legendary, as was his unique brand marketing

Peyton Manning is expected to announce his retirement today after 18 seasons and, most recently, a Super Bowl victory to cap off an incredible career. As a sure-thing first ballot Hall of Famer, Peyton Manning has been an incredible NFL player for a long time. But that’s just the beginning of why his run in the NFL will be so memorable.

In a few very unique areas, Peyton has changed the game — on and off the field. As football fans become more and more knowledgeable about what it takes to compete and thrive in the game (through fantasy football, daily fantasy, Madden and, soon, Project FANchise), the lengths Peyton Manning has gone to separate himself from the competition will become even clearer. Here are four areas where Peyton changed the game:

Preparation

One of Project FANchise’s co-founders, former NFL player Ray Austin, talked about his time playing in college with Peyton Manning in a Q&A last year:

Peyton was the first guy in the film room and the last guy leaving — and he had his playbook with him. That rumor that he’s a student of the game, it’s true — he actually taught me to be a student of the game. In the NFL, there are the guys who run around and are athletic, and then there’s the smart guys. The smart guys end up playing longer.

Whether it’s his “photographic” memory, as described by current Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler or the incredible amount of time he spends in the film room, Peyton’s preparation has changed what it means to be a star NFL player. Being an incredible athlete remains important, but the off-field studying that goes into on-field success is best exemplified by Peyton’s run.

Endorsements

Football stars appeared in commercials before Peyton Manning, and certainly have since. But no athlete has become as ubiquitous in 30 second ads. Sports Illustrated has a good rundown of some of his highlights. Thanks to Manning, most of the country can hum the Nationwide jingle, with thoughts of “chicken parm you taste so good.” Or being so involved with Papa John’s that he’s getting hugged by Papa John himself on the field after winning the Super Bowl. It’s not just that Peyton has a new revenue stream for himself, or that he’s providing revenue to these companies by lending his name and acting talents. Peyton expanded the boundaries of what an athlete could do off the field, and did so without ever sacrificing his on-field success. No one could ever make an argument Peyton was in too many commercials and was losing focus in the huddle — instead, it was a supplement.

Nontraditional Brand Marketing

Which brings us to an area Peyton really was unique at — finding nontraditional brand marketing opportunities beyond just commercials. Peyton Manning didn’t just guest host Saturday Night Live — he brought the same preparation he has on-field to the hallways of 30 Rock for one of the all-time most memorable shows. Nothing encapsulates the way Peyton could laugh at himself by playing totally against type in the digital short mocking his frequent commercials and cheery on-screen presence, in this United Way sketch (where he taught children how to steal a car, and other non-Peyton things).

Excellence

Of course, preparation, endorsements and brand marketing all would be ultimately fruitless if it weren’t backed up with true success. And Peyton Manning had success — SB Nation compiled all his records as a quarterback in the NFL. Just a sampling: most yards ever, most TDs ever, most yards in a season, most TDs in a season, most wins.

But perhaps the best example of Peyton Manning’s game-changing excellence was this stat: most game-winning drives, with 56 over the course of his 18 year career. Peyton Manning’s steadiness will serve as a model for other QBs, and his consistency will be difficult to replicate.

Pretty soon you’ll get a chance to try to find the next Peyton Manning by scouting players, and ultimately picking a team, in a real pro football team. Project FANchise bought a pro football team, and FANS are going to run it. Find out more: http://ProjectFANchise.com.