Peyton Manning: Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy ‘extremely unique’

In the seven years Peyton Manning and Tony Dungy quarterbacked and coached the Indianapolis Colts, the team finished with less than 12 wins just once –– a 10-win season in the first year the pair were together.

Dungy and Manning never missed the playoffs together. They won five divisional titles together. They won 85 games together and one Super Bowl together.

And Dungy accomplished all his resume items that earned the long-time coach entrance into the Pro Football Hall of Fame while not breaking from his “unique” leadership style, Manning told 104.3 The Fan’s “C.J. and Stokley” Thursday afternoon.

“He never raised his voice, never used any (foul) language. He was just the same consistent coach and had that demeanor every day,” Manning said.

Manning, who’ll likely be a first-ballot Hall of Famer himself in five years, said it was Dungy’s cool, calm demeanor that he consistently brought every day that rubbed off on him and others he coached.

And they played hard for Dungy, not necessarily because he demanded it, Manning said, but because they believed in him and did not want to disappoint.

“He just treated you like such a professional, like a grown man. He always knew when to take the pads off or when to put the pads on. But he just treated you like such a pro that you just didn’t want to let him down,” Manning said.

“You wanted to play hard for him. You wanted to make a great throw for him or make that diving catch for him, because you didn’t want to disappoint him.”

Dungy heads into the Hall this weekend along with Manning’s former target, wide receiver Marvin Harrison. And the recently retired Denver Broncos gunslinger will be in attendance in Canton, Ohio.

Follow 104.3 The Fan digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @johnnyhart7.