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'John Madden said, "The Colts are on their way"': Peyton Manning's special bond with the legend

Peyton Manning’s grandfather was a big fan of John Madden. During Manning’s rookie year with the Colts, his grandfather asked if Madden and Pat Summerall were going to broadcast a Colts game.

“‘Pa-Pa, the Colts are 2-8 and we are playing the Bengals who are 3-7,’” Manning recalled saying in a statement. “‘Madden and Summerall don’t do those games.’”

The next year, when the Colts played the Cowboys, Madden and Summerall were on the call.

“My grandfather was so excited,” Manning said. “We won the game that day, and John Madden said, ‘The Colts are on their way.