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Denver quarterback Peyton Manning prevailed in a three-hour, 29 minute Championship Game on Sunday January 24, 2016. This was the most momentous and possibly the last of the 17 Tom Brady-Peyton Manning meetings.
The
world knew the Carolina Panthers would play the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50
at the final whistle of the NFC Championship, but one man had no idea who he
was playing. Cam Newton found out Peyton Manning was waiting for him during his
postgame interview in which he called Manning "The
Sheriff." This wasn't a homespun nickname by Cam, "The Sheriff"
has been Manning's nickname for a while.
2009
The
nickname first came to prominence in 2009 during a Monday Night
Football game between the Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins.
ESPN's Jon Gruden first used it, saying that Manning "lays down the
law" in opposing teams' stadiums. He continued to use this sheriff analogy
by describing how Manning manipulates his offense at the line of scrimmage
through his audibles. This was perpetuated by Ron Jaworski, who throughout the
game continued to refer to Manning as "The Sheriff" after Gruden made
his comments.
2011
Before
Cam Newton was drafted he sat down with Jon Gruden for his yearly rookie
quarterback camp for ESPN. Gruden once again called Manning "The
Sheriff" as he showed a then 21-year-old Newton footage of the Colts
quarterback.
It
seems Cam Newton remembered the nickname he heard from Gruden years before,
because "The Sheriff" isn't a commonly used nickname, but people are
aware of it. Truth be told, Gruden has invented dozens of nicknames over the
years on Monday Night Football and the vast majority of them never
stick.
However, by telling Newton that Manning is "The Sheriff" back
in 2011 it may have solidified the nickname for years to come.
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