Peyton Manning won Super Bowls with the Colts and Broncos. Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Peyton Manning says Patriots would bug his locker

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Larry Brown | Last updated 9/21/21

Peyton and Eli Manning continue to produce the best broadcast for “Monday Night Football” possible.

The brothers were featured on ESPN2, giving their commentary of Monday night’s Detroit Lions-Green Bay Packers game. They brought in a slew of guests to join them. They offered sharp analysis as well as great wit throughout the game.

Early on, they also brought the conspiracy theories.

Peyton was noting how the Packers were running the ball frequently, which followed the suggestions he and Eli made to the team. He joked that Green Bay had them bugged.

“I feel like the Packers were listening to our conversation. I think our conversation was bugged, kind of like the Patriots used to do back in the day,” Peyton joked.

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— Viral Sports (@NotScTop10plays) September 21, 2021

Peyton then took it further. He said that the New England Patriots used to have his locker bugged, so he wouldn’t discuss plays near it. Instead, he would go into the shower.

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— Viral Sports (@NotScTop10plays) September 21, 2021

“Every time I played against New England, I used to talk to my receivers in the showers. Don’t talk about a play next to my locker because I know it’s bugged. I know it’s got a hot mic in there. Very strange to see seven guys hanging out in the shower,” Peyton said.

Was he being serious or joking? That’s up to you to decide.

Keep in mind, this is nothing new. Tony Dungy said in 2015 that Peyton feared the Patriots had his locker bugged. The Colts used to sweep for bugs when they played in New England. Many NFL teams used to do that but never found anything.

Maybe the Patriots were just in opponents’ heads.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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