Peyton Manning Still Has A Presence In The NFL: Manning Visits Miami To Help Ryan Tannehill With New Offense

Peyton Manning, as expected, has not completely left the NFL behind him. According to the Miami Herald, Manning provided a tutoring session for Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill earlier this spring. Adam Gase, the new head coach of the Miami Dolphins and former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach of the Denver Broncos, is bringing the offense to Miami that Manning used hints of while leading the Broncos to be crowned as 2016 Super Bowl champions.

Is Manning doing favors? Does Manning feel obligated to repay Gase for any contributions during the Bronco’s Super Bowl run to end the 2015 NFL season? No, probably not. Peyton doesn’t think that way.

Gase is bringing a new offense to Miami; this can be a mountain of an obstacle for a struggling young quarterback. In a report by NFL.com, due to CBA restrictions, coach and player interactions have certain restrictions during the offseason. Gase may have contacted Manning in an effort to speed up the process for Tannehill and to get a move on things in order to set the team up for a more productive year. There is no doubt that Tannehill could benefit from a head start on adapting to the new strategy.

Manning has always been known as the quarterback with a smart football mind. Peyton was notorious for spending countless hours in the film room studying his opponents. The X’s and O’s knowledge that Manning learned over the course of 18 years in the NFL would surely be beneficial in teaching young quarterbacks or even teams to give the all-important competitive edge that is crucial in the NFL.

Tannehill was excited about his interaction with Peyton.

“It was really cool; A guy that had his career, the living legend he is, coming off a Super Bowl winning season, it was really cool just to be able to sit and pick his brain.”

Tannehill can only benefit from his session with Manning. Tannehill has not exactly represented his 2012, first-round draft pick well. The Dolphins are yet to record a winning season with Tannehill directing traffic. It’s unlikely that Tannehill will ever be the caliber of quarterback that Peyton once was, but learning the seasoned knowledge that Manning required throughout his 18 years in the league can’t hurt anything.

“He is something I aspire to be, as good or better as he is one day. Hopefully, we’ll be able to get him to come around some more.”

Whether the “tutoring” session with Tannehill was simply a favor for former coach Gale or a testing of the waters of coaching abilities, it’s safe to say that Manning still has the itch to be involved with the NFL. Maybe, Manning is just a nice guy, he certainly strikes you as the type of personality that would be willing to help out a former coach when in need. If there is a recently retired player who could be considered to coach in the NFL, it’s Peyton Manning. Besides his commercial acting career, Manning is a get-the-work-done and no-frills type of guy.

Peyton Manning left the NFL with a bang, winning the 2016 Super Bowl and dropping the mic as one of the best quarterbacks to ever grace a professional football field. Manning’s pass accuracy and arm strength, during his prime, were a sight to see.

Peyton’s athletic ability wasn’t all there in his final years, though, but his football knowledge was good enough to lead Denver to a Super Bowl. A popular observation about Manning’s final years was his inability to produce as he once did in his prime. After neck surgery, Manning was left a little stiff in the pocket and looked fragile when taken to the ground by a defender. However, there are not many quarterbacks who could have led a team, despite these setbacks, to a super bowl. Peyton’s football knowledge is extensive; any team in the league would love to pick his brain.

For the time being, Peyton Manning is a retired player. But Manning’s influence within the NFL will likely be relevant for some time to come.

[Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images]