The 2018 NFL season was a great one for the Indianapolis Colts, all things considered. Not only did they turn a 0-3 start into an 11-5, playoff clinching team, they also might have themselves their coach of the future, according to one quarterback great.
Speaking to FOX 59’s Chris Hagan after being awarded the Bill McGowan award for tourism, Peyton Manning joined the show to discuss various things, where the topic eventually fell onto the Colts. After the topic shifted from Andrew Luck, it eventually fell onto Frank Reich, the coach of the year candidate.
According to Manning, he knew Reich from his days of being a position coach for the Colts in 2009-10. The way Peyton tells it, he knew that Reich would be a future head coach from the start.
“Extremely impressed but not really surprised. I knew that Frank would get his principles established and his football philosophies that he learned from Tony Dungy and Marv Levy and some of the great coaches and leaders that he played for.”
Of course, one great season doesn’t make any coach the next Bill Belichick, so Manning was quick to establish that what while he enjoyed the season, it was just the beginning.
“It’s not going to happen overnight. Looking at 1-5, I’m sure there’s a lot of people that are making their assumptions for what that season is going to be. But what a turnaround. Obviously, Andrew played great and the defense came alive. It certainly didn’t end the way anybody wanted it to. But I sent Frank a text right after the season and just said, ‘What a great foundation you started here.’”
While Peyton was hesitant to heap a ton of praise on Reich, it’s pretty clear that he still likes the coach, as he should. Not only was Reich able to turn the team around after a sluggish start, but he also did a great job of revitalizing Andrew Luck. For now, the sky seems to be the limit for the Colts.
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