Peyton Manning: ‘Omaha’ Origin Revealed by Reggie Wayne
Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning has had plenty to say over the years. One word stands out in particular in recent years.
So many of us throughout the years have wondered: What does Peyton Manning’s infamous ‘Omaha’ call mean?
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Well according to Reggie Wayne, Manning’s former number one-receiver (with the Indianapolis Colts) told NFL GameDay Morning on Sunday that throughout his career with Manning in Indianapolis, ‘Omaha’ always meant to reverse the play from one side of the field to the other. So for instance, if it was a run to the right, ‘Omaha’ meant it is now a run to the left.
Pretty simple, right?
Wayne also added that Manning would require his receivers to memorize four-pages of typed signals before each and every game and that there is no way ‘Omaha’ means today what it did in his days with the Colts.
Or does it?
Two years ago in the 2013 playoffs, Manning addressed what “Omaha” meant to the media (via Fox Sports):
“I’ve had a lot of people ask what Omaha means. Well, Omaha, it’s a run play. But it could be a pass play, or a play-action pass, depending on a couple of things: the wind, which way we’re going, the quarter, and the jerseys that we’re wearing. It really varies, really, from play-to-play. So there’s your answer to that.”
Manning’s response was classic Peyton – providing humor and sarcasm, while addressing a burning question without giving away a shred as to what the play call could possibly mean.
The cerebral intensity that Peyton Manning exhibits on each play is something the league has never seen and so frequently is envied by opponents across the league. Manning plays football as a chess-match and could easily mix in ‘Omaha’ in the AFC Championship game this Sunday to mean exactly what Reggie Wayne said: a reverse play.
We can all speculate as to what he will use ‘Omaha’ for, if he indeed does use it as a signal, but the fact is we can all speculate on how it will be used and what he is going to do, but by the time we think to have figured it out, the mad scientist is already three steps ahead.
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The biggest challenge in a Manning-led offense is for the receivers to be able to memorize everything on time and know the plays/signals down cold. The Denver receivers (besides drops in last week’s game against the Steelers) have played well for Manning and excelled in his offensive system throughout the years he has been their quarterback. Reggie Wayne is certainly one of Manning’s receivers who has excelled as he caught 67 touchdowns from Manning in his career.
For years, opposing defenses have tried to figure out and guess what ‘Omaha’ meant to get an advantage on the snap to get to Manning faster. Most teams have not succeeded in finding out what it means, with the exception of the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII, in which they got to Manning early and often, destroying the Broncos 43-8 at MetLife Stadium, in New Jersey.
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Personally, I would love Manning to go into the AFC Championship Game against long-time rival, Tom Brady, and the New England Patriots with a brand new signal call.
Hmmmmmmmm.