Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This year's KWA Broncos draft coverage is debuting a new feature.
It's called Draft Stories with Broncos sideline reporter Susie Warten.
These features with Susie's it's one on one with former
Broncos telling their draft story of players, and Susie got
a chance to catch up with Peyton Manning in a
conversation about his draft experience.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
He would go into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
He's a Bronco's Ring of Famer, two time Super Bowl champ,
and has about a million other accolades. But on April eighteenth,
nineteen ninety eight, he was the number one overall draft
pick out of Tennessee. Hello Peyton Manning.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Hey, Hey, Susie, how you doing.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Absolutely I know that was just a couple of years ago,
but go back to then you would turn twenty two
at the end of March, and so then just a
couple weeks later, there you are. There's so much noise
about is it going to be you? Is it going
to be Ryan Leaf? So what do you remember as
you look back on that time leading up to the
draft and then also Draft Day at Madison Square Garden.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Well, it was certainly the exciting time, and like he said,
hard to believe. It's been almost thirty years now. And
I really didn't know that the Colts were going to
take me up until the day before the draft that
there was a lot of, like you said, a lot
of talk going on, who were the Colts going to take?
Was it going to be me or Ryan Leaf? And
the Colts kind of kept their cards close and didn't
(01:18):
really want to reveal what they were going to do
because I'm not sure they really knew. I think Bill Pollion,
the general manager, was taking his time, and so I
really didn't know what was going to happen. So I
went to New York not knowing what was going to happen.
But Bill Pollion called me the day before and told
me he was going to take me. So that was
a relief. Although you really don't know for sure until
they called your name out at Madison Square Garden. And
(01:41):
that was an exciting day because it was really the
first day you were going to start your new job.
And I was glad that the Colts were going to
take me. I was looking forward to going to work there.
They had some young players like Marvin Harrison on the team,
so I was excited when Commissioner Tabby a dude called
my name and I was ready to get started.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
And you've been in some very high pressure situation since then,
so you've learned how to work with that throughout the years.
But was that probably the biggest most stressful moment even
though you knew the day before? But when Paul Tagliabu
calls your name, it's you and your family's there and
you finally get to get on stage and have that moment.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Well, I mean, my advice for all players you know
that are going to the draft is to try to
enjoy the moment and not stress over because I mean,
obviously you don't know for sure who's gonna take you.
And to me, it was never a goal of mine
to be the number one pick. I wanted to go
to a team that wanted me. That's what I told
the Colts, you know, during kind of the pre draft process,
(02:38):
is that I actually want to come to Indianapolis. It's
not far from Knoxville, it's not too far from New Orleans.
I had great respect for Bill Polligan. You know, he
turned around the Buffalo Bills, he turned around to Caro,
a lot of Panthers, and I felt like this would
be a great place to kind of go to work
and get started. And so hopefully all these players can
kind of enjoy it and not be mad certain team
(03:00):
doesn't take them or if they drop a few picks,
because once they call your name out, all that's over
with and now you're going to work. Now you know
where you're going to live, where you're going to start
your new job. And like I said, I flew to
Indianapolis after the draft, Susie. They gave me a playbook.
I started studying it. I was back in Indianapolis, I
(03:21):
think four days later getting ready for a mini camp.
And so the work starts immediately. And that'd be my
advice for all young players is hey, enjoy it. Once
they call your name out, go to work.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Last question for you, Peyton, that was nineteen ninety eight.
Your family was there, so it wasn't like you could
call people and tell them. Everybody saw it, you know,
on TV at that point. But was there anybody that
you contacted afterwards to thank them for that part of
where you'd come in your journey so far, A coach
or anybody else.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Well, it was funny. Let's see, So I was drafted
in New York. We flew to Indianapolis, you know, did
some interviews, met with the coaches, they gave me the playbook,
and then the colts flew me to Knoxville, where Knoxville
kind of had a little bit of a celebration for me.
So I got to see personally my college coaches. Ashley
(04:12):
and I were dating at the time, she was back
there in Knoxville, so had a chance to celebrate with
my friends and family and college friends, and certainly my
college coaches Coach Fulmer and Coach Cutliffe, who were such
a big part of my journey. So it was really
a special day because I got to kind of sort
of see all the people in my new football chapter.
But I also got to go personally thank all the
(04:35):
people that have been a part of my college football chapter.
So it was a special day. And like I said,
just four days later, I was back in Indianapolis starting
my new job. So it was a day I always remember.
My parents were there. Cooper was in. Eli didn't make
the cut. Eli was. I was back in high school,
probably playing a playing a summer basketball game or something.
(04:57):
But it's changed a lot now. Obviously they invite thirty
players now. Back then it was just about four of
us there at the draft, and you only were allowed
to invite your parents and maybe one sibling, So it
was a smaller, smaller group than it is now, but
it was shortly an exciting day and show than one
I'll always remember.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Was it just you, Ryan Leave, Charles Woodson and Curtisinas
that were the only ones there.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
I think we were the only four there, which you know,
back in that room, I mean it seemed kind of
crowded because it was a small room. Now it's thirty players,
and obviously it's more exciting when you see different players reactions.
And I understand players, you know, wanting to be there
if they know their name is going to be called.
If they're not sure, then I understand maybe not wanting
(05:40):
to be there and not having that you know, sort
of reality TV moment. So it's a personal decision. So
you can't blame a player for going or for not going.
You know, it's got to be a personal decision. I
had had a maybe not so great experience at the
Heisman Trophy about four months before that, and so I
want wasn't really looking to go back there and kind
(06:02):
of have it ahha, gotcha moment again. And so I
was glad when the Colts let me know the day
before that they were going to take me, and that
kind of provided a little bit of relief. And like
I said, it was an exciting day once they call
my name out.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Yeah, nobody wants the Brady Quinn moment.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
That's right, all.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Right, Hey Peyton really really appreciate it. Thank you for
the trip down memory lane and sharing your draft story.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Appreciate you, Okay, Susie, thanks you, take care you.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
Susie Wargen, former Bronco Peyton manning our entire KA Broncos
Radio network crew will have eighteen hours of coverage presented
by Coloraden's Responsible Energy Development Tomorrow through Saturday
This year's KWA Broncos draft coverage is debuting a new feature.
It's called Draft Stories with Broncos sideline reporter Susie Warten.
These features with Susie's it's one on one with former
Broncos telling their draft story of players, and Susie got
a chance to catch up with Peyton Manning in a
conversation about his draft experience.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
He would go into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
He's a Bronco's Ring of Famer, two time Super Bowl champ,
and has about a million other accolades. But on April eighteenth,
nineteen ninety eight, he was the number one overall draft
pick out of Tennessee. Hello Peyton Manning.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Hey, Hey, Susie, how you doing.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Absolutely I know that was just a couple of years ago,
but go back to then you would turn twenty two
at the end of March, and so then just a
couple weeks later, there you are. There's so much noise
about is it going to be you? Is it going
to be Ryan Leaf? So what do you remember as
you look back on that time leading up to the
draft and then also Draft Day at Madison Square Garden.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Well, it was certainly the exciting time, and like he said,
hard to believe. It's been almost thirty years now. And
I really didn't know that the Colts were going to
take me up until the day before the draft that
there was a lot of, like you said, a lot
of talk going on, who were the Colts going to take?
Was it going to be me or Ryan Leaf? And
the Colts kind of kept their cards close and didn't
(01:18):
really want to reveal what they were going to do
because I'm not sure they really knew. I think Bill Pollion,
the general manager, was taking his time, and so I
really didn't know what was going to happen. So I
went to New York not knowing what was going to happen.
But Bill Pollion called me the day before and told
me he was going to take me. So that was
a relief. Although you really don't know for sure until
they called your name out at Madison Square Garden. And
(01:41):
that was an exciting day because it was really the
first day you were going to start your new job.
And I was glad that the Colts were going to
take me. I was looking forward to going to work there.
They had some young players like Marvin Harrison on the team,
so I was excited when Commissioner Tabby a dude called
my name and I was ready to get started.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
And you've been in some very high pressure situation since then,
so you've learned how to work with that throughout the years.
But was that probably the biggest most stressful moment even
though you knew the day before? But when Paul Tagliabu
calls your name, it's you and your family's there and
you finally get to get on stage and have that moment.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Well, I mean, my advice for all players you know
that are going to the draft is to try to
enjoy the moment and not stress over because I mean,
obviously you don't know for sure who's gonna take you.
And to me, it was never a goal of mine
to be the number one pick. I wanted to go
to a team that wanted me. That's what I told
the Colts, you know, during kind of the pre draft process,
(02:38):
is that I actually want to come to Indianapolis. It's
not far from Knoxville, it's not too far from New Orleans.
I had great respect for Bill Polligan. You know, he
turned around the Buffalo Bills, he turned around to Caro,
a lot of Panthers, and I felt like this would
be a great place to kind of go to work
and get started. And so hopefully all these players can
kind of enjoy it and not be mad certain team
(03:00):
doesn't take them or if they drop a few picks,
because once they call your name out, all that's over
with and now you're going to work. Now you know
where you're going to live, where you're going to start
your new job. And like I said, I flew to
Indianapolis after the draft, Susie. They gave me a playbook.
I started studying it. I was back in Indianapolis, I
(03:21):
think four days later getting ready for a mini camp.
And so the work starts immediately. And that'd be my
advice for all young players is hey, enjoy it. Once
they call your name out, go to work.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
Last question for you, Peyton, that was nineteen ninety eight.
Your family was there, so it wasn't like you could
call people and tell them. Everybody saw it, you know,
on TV at that point. But was there anybody that
you contacted afterwards to thank them for that part of
where you'd come in your journey so far, A coach
or anybody else.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Well, it was funny. Let's see, So I was drafted
in New York. We flew to Indianapolis, you know, did
some interviews, met with the coaches, they gave me the playbook,
and then the colts flew me to Knoxville, where Knoxville
kind of had a little bit of a celebration for me.
So I got to see personally my college coaches. Ashley
(04:12):
and I were dating at the time, she was back
there in Knoxville, so had a chance to celebrate with
my friends and family and college friends, and certainly my
college coaches Coach Fulmer and Coach Cutliffe, who were such
a big part of my journey. So it was really
a special day because I got to kind of sort
of see all the people in my new football chapter.
But I also got to go personally thank all the
(04:35):
people that have been a part of my college football chapter.
So it was a special day. And like I said,
just four days later, I was back in Indianapolis starting
my new job. So it was a day I always remember.
My parents were there. Cooper was in. Eli didn't make
the cut. Eli was. I was back in high school,
probably playing a playing a summer basketball game or something.
(04:57):
But it's changed a lot now. Obviously they invite thirty
players now. Back then it was just about four of
us there at the draft, and you only were allowed
to invite your parents and maybe one sibling, So it
was a smaller, smaller group than it is now, but
it was shortly an exciting day and show than one
I'll always remember.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Was it just you, Ryan Leave, Charles Woodson and Curtisinas
that were the only ones there.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
I think we were the only four there, which you know,
back in that room, I mean it seemed kind of
crowded because it was a small room. Now it's thirty players,
and obviously it's more exciting when you see different players reactions.
And I understand players, you know, wanting to be there
if they know their name is going to be called.
If they're not sure, then I understand maybe not wanting
(05:40):
to be there and not having that you know, sort
of reality TV moment. So it's a personal decision. So
you can't blame a player for going or for not going.
You know, it's got to be a personal decision. I
had had a maybe not so great experience at the
Heisman Trophy about four months before that, and so I
want wasn't really looking to go back there and kind
(06:02):
of have it ahha, gotcha moment again. And so I
was glad when the Colts let me know the day
before that they were going to take me, and that
kind of provided a little bit of relief. And like
I said, it was an exciting day once they call
my name out.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Yeah, nobody wants the Brady Quinn moment.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
That's right, all.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
Right, Hey Peyton really really appreciate it. Thank you for
the trip down memory lane and sharing your draft story.
Speaker 3 (06:26):
Appreciate you, Okay, Susie, thanks you, take care you.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
Susie Wargen, former Bronco Peyton manning our entire KA Broncos
Radio network crew will have eighteen hours of coverage presented
by Coloraden's Responsible Energy Development Tomorrow through Saturday
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