When Peyton Manning was allowed to walk from the Indianapolis Colts in 2012 the Miami Dolphins were one of the teams in hot pursuit. However, after some time being courted by multiple teams Peyton ultimately chose to sign with the Denver Broncos. A move that paid off with a 2016 Super Bowl victory. Manning went onto retire that March in 2016. Again, however, it was reported that former Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase did shoot his shot with the 5 time MVP. Gase reportedly tried to recruit Manning to come with him to Miami to be the Dolphins quarterback.
But those two times were not the only times Peyton Manning going to the Dolphins was a possibility. Before even taking a snap with the Colts the Dolphins had a shot at him. This week, former Dolphin and Cowboy coach Jimmy Johnson revealed a potential draft night trade. In an appearance on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz he discussed some of the trades he was most proud of. In return, Johnson was asked the deal he regrets not making and a draft day Peyton Manning trade was it.
“It would have taken my entire draft board, but I could have made a trade to move up to get Peyton Manning,” Johnson revealed on “The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz”. “In fact, I talked to Peyton and Archie about it this weekend.” (This weekend being the NFL Hall of Fame induction.)
The newly inducted Hall of Famer, Jimmy Johnson declined a request to elaborate.
“That’s all the details I can give you,” he said. “I probably gave you too much already.”
Peyton a Dolphin?
Had Miami made the trade Peyton would have been the successor to his favorite player, Dan Marino. Jimmy Johnson and Dan Marino never worked out how either imagined it would. Ultimately their relationship struggled as well, and Johnson retired one day following a playoff loss to Jacksonville. How could trading for Peyton Manning changed the fortune for the South Beach franchise? Well, that is impossible to determine. However, with Miami’s developing defense and the arm of a future Hall of Famer it was bound to be a franchise changing trade.
Both Manning and Johnson were inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend. They both had legendary careers in their own right. While it is fun imagining what that team in Miami could have been like, last weekend was to celebrate the careers of each of the Hall of Famers.
