Peyton Manning Apology Impresses Referee Butch Hannah

Hannah was a referee in the NFL over 18 seasons, including 14 playoff games, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press. Hannah also said he was an alternate for both Super Bowls Manning won.

Hannah was asked about his favorite Peyton Manning story, and he shared about a Broncos game against the Dolphins in Denver. "The whole game was a struggle for them," Hannah said, relating that he called back two Denver touchdowns, the Free Press reported. Near the end of the game with a narrow lead, Hannah said, "Peyton mistimed a snap and they had to run one more play. Peyton said something off-color to me, which was not at all like him."

"I told him, ‘Peyton, you’re better than that,’" Hannah said to the Free Press.

A few weeks later, Hannah said, he got a package that contained an apology letter from Manning about the remark. "That’s the only time that’s happened to me in all my years of officiating."

A few months later, when Manning saw Hannah in person, he asked whether Hannah had gotten the letter. When Hannah told Manning to let it go, Manning said, "You have no idea how upset I was with myself," Hannah told the Free Press.

"That’s the kind of son Archie and Olivia raised. Pretty impressive," Hannah finished.

Hannah and Manning have known each other since the 1990s when Hannah was working SEC games and Manning was a player at Tennessee, ESPN noted.

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