Miami Dolphins Tried To Lure Peyton Manning Back in 2016

Miami Dolphins head coach Adam Gase is a competitor. He wants to win and will do whatever he has to in order to make his team successful.

That includes getting creative in trying to solve the quarterback position during times of crisis. People know the story by now. Ryan Tannehill goes down late last season to an injury and is done for the year. Brutal timing for a team that was firing on all cylinders. They ended up going into the playoffs with backup Matt Moore starting and were summarily crushed by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the wild card round.

According to NFL First Father Archie Manning though, it was almost totally different. He told The Times-Picayune that Gase decided to reach out to retired legend Peyton Manning about the possibility of a comeback.

"“It started with Gase,” Archie Manning said while at the annual Manning Passing Academy. “He said, ‘Hey 18, Tannehill went down.’ He said, ‘I think he’s going to miss some time. The first question I’m going to get at the press conference in the morning is if I’m going to try to bring you to Miami. What do you want me to tell them?’“The text message came back from Peyton, ‘You tell them I could probably come play, but there’s no way I can miss carpool the next two weeks.’ So, he was done.”"

Manning and Gase have a history together during their three years in Denver from 2012 to 2014. When Gase became offensive coordinator in 2013, Manning had the greatest statistical season of his future Hall of Fame career with over 5,400 yards and 55 touchdowns passing. It was an absolute clinic when the two were together. Even at age 41 it would’ve been fascinating to see him make a surprise return. He wouldn’t need much time to learn the offense.

Would that playoff game in Pittsburgh have gone differently? Well given how Tom Brady cut up their defense a few weeks later, it’s fair to wonder. In the end Manning stuck by his decision to stay away. Commendable if nothing else, though a tough break for the Dolphins.