Pat McAfee discusses being with a ‘conflicted’ Peyton Manning at Neyland Stadium and watching Arch Manning and Texas play Tennessee
Vols legend Peyton Manning was in Neyland Stadium this past weekend to watch his nephew, Texas QB Arch Manning, play against Tennessee.
This past Saturday in Neyland Stadium was undoubtedly a weird experience for Tennessee Vols legend Peyton Manning.
Peyton’s nephew, Arch Manning, led the Texas Longhorns to a 20-17 win over the Volunteers.
Most of the Manning family, including Peyton, was in Neyland Stadium to support Arch.
Peyton loves the Vols with everything in him, but family comes first, which is why the Tennessee legend told reporters this past summer that he would be pulling for Arch when Texas played the Vols.
ESPN’s Pat McAfee describes what it was like to watch the Texas vs Tennessee game from Peyton Manning’s suite
ESPN’s Pat McAfee, who was teammates with Peyton in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts, was in Neyland Stadium with College GameDay on Saturday.
McAfee, who stayed for the game and watched from Peyton’s suite at Neyland, described on his show on Monday what it was like to watch the game with the Manning family.
“I got to see the entire Manning family over the weekend,” said McAfee. “It was a blast. I mean, in watching Peyton, who’s obviously so invested in the Tennessee Vols and everything that he’s done for the Volunteers, and then Grandpa Archie coming in and supporting his grandboy. And then Coop (Cooper Manning, Arch’s dad) in there. And then young Marshall (Peyton’s son) and Olivia (Peyton’s mom). Shane Gillis was obviously there. Glen Powell was in there for a little bit.
“Just watching that family celebrate Arch was cool. Because even Peyton, I think, was conflicted. Like, ‘I love my nephew and I love the Tennessee Volunteers.’ To be in that suite was sweet. It was actually sweet to kind of watch history happen amongst a football family who has given so much. And I’ll tell you, there’s not a lot of families who have more fun than that family right there. That was a trip back in time for me from when I was on the Colts with Peyton and got a chance to hang out with his family on a regular basis. It was a blast. I’m gonna let you guys know: Archie told me he’s not doing the high hurdles anymore. He’s just doing sprints. He had a frozen margarita alongside me that might have had three or four times the amount of whatever in it, and Archie was handling his business.
“Peyton was very proud of the frozen margarita he has in his suite,” added McAfee. “It’s the only one in Neyland Stadium. He brought it in himself. He plugged it in himself, and it is a great way to spend an afternoon.”
It sounds like Peyton’s conflict between rooting for Arch and the Vols wasn’t a big topic of conversation. But it also sounds like it was evident that he was conflicted.
While there’s no doubt that Peyton was happy for Arch on Saturday, I’m sure part of him felt some pain over the Vols losing a nailbiter to the Longhorns.
