Peyton Manning really doesn’t like playing the New England Patriots in Foxboro.
Manning’s issues at Foxboro Stadium and Gillette Stadium over the years have been well documented. Whether a member of the Indianapolis Colts or Denver Broncos, the legendary quarterback has been reduced to an Average Joe when he’s on Route 1. Manning owns a 2-9 record in Foxboro, with 20 interceptions in those 11 games.
Part of Manning’s struggles could be mental, stemming from borderline paranoia, if former Colts head coach Tony Dungy is to be believed. Speaking Thursday on “The Dan Patrick Show,” Dungy admitted Manning used to wonder whether the Colts’ locker room was bugged by the Patriots. It got to the point that Manning held meetings in the hallway, as opposed to the locker room or meeting rooms.
“I know that that is very true, and, you know, as Peyton talked to guys who played for the Patriots, some of the guys who came over — whether it’s true or not — he treated it as true,” Dungy said, per ProFootballTalk.com. “We didn’t have a lot of strategy discussions inside the locker room there.”
According to PFT, Dungy did stress Manning’s actions weren’t necessarily because he thought the Patriots were cheating. He just wanted to be sure.
“Peyton takes everything to the nth degree,” Dungy said.
Manning’s fears or concerns have been mentioned before. Sports Illustrated’s Peter King reported Manning’s paranoia back in 2010, too.
Thumbnail photo via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
