Peyton Manning tried to help seal the deal for the Colorado Buffaloes and bring hot coaching prospect Butch Jones, 50-27 at Cincinnati and Central Michigan, to join him in the Rocky Mountains.
Peyton Manning unknowingly recruited Butch Jones away from Tennessee
Perhaps the most beloved player in Tennessee history told Tennessee’s new coach to take the Colorado job instead.
Little did Manning know his alma mater was also courting Jones at the time:
Butch Jones said Peyton Manning had texted him a few days ago, trying to selling on taking the Colorado job.
— Evan Woodbery (@TennesseeBeat) December 7, 2012
NOTE: Jones said he WANTED to tell Peyton Manning, "I want to coach at Tennessee."
— Wes Rucker (@wesrucker247) December 7, 2012
Jones appeared set to take the Colorado job earlier in the week, with multiple Denver outlets reporting a done deal. Tennessee was then turned down by its top three candidates, and Jones news went silent right around the same time.
The Vols landed their man despite Peyton’s accidental sabotage, and the fact that their most famous son wanted Jones couldn’t have hurt their chances.
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