Peyton Manning has been playing in the NFL for 18 years, yet it feels like the 39-year-old veteran suddenly has a new nickname. What’s all this talk about “The Sheriff” leading up to Super Bowl 50?
Truth be told, the nickname has been around for several years. It started in 2009 when ESPN’s Jon Gruden referred to Manning as “The Sheriff” during a Monday Night Football broadcast. The reasoning? Manning lays the law down on opposing defenses.
After the Panthers won the NFC Championship, Cam Newton was informed that Carolina would be facing the Denver Broncos in the Superbowl.
“Wow, the Sheriff,” he said.
As SB Nation notes, Gruden referred to Manning as “The Sheriff” again in 2011 when he sat down with Newton for an ESPN segment just before Cam entered the NFL.
Now, several of Newton’s teammates are referring to Manning as “The Sheriff” in advance of what could be the quarterback’s final NFL game. Broadcasters have also been using the nickname as though it has been Manning’s nickname for years, when in reality no one ever uses it.
Welcome to 2016.
