Young NFL quarterbacks have been compared to their predecessors for years. Steve Young was compared to Joe Montana. Aaron Rodgers was—and is being—compared to Brett Favre. The latest of these comparisons is Indianapolis Colts new quarterback Andrew Luck and Colts great Peyton Manning. Luck’s teammate Reggie Wayne, who also caught passes from Manning, said Tuesday he sees similarities in Manning and Luck, accordind to Pro Football Talk.
“The way [Luck] approaches practice, I hate to do this, but it’s somewhat like a Peyton Manning,” Wayne said told PFT. “Even though I hate to compare the two, he takes practice just like it’s a game. He knows as well as I do that practice is probably going to be harder than the games because you’re going to see it so many different ways. In game time, you may only see it once or twice.
“He gets us in and out of the huddle, he tells us to pick it up, he tells the offensive line, ‘Hey, we need to do better here.’ He tells the receivers, ‘I need you to come out a little higher’ or whatever the case may be. So he’s on it. Whenever your quarterback is doing that you know you’re in the right direction. So I’m glad to see him doing that.”
Even though Wayne sees similarities between Luck and Manning, he wants his sophomore QB to have a unique identity as he leads to offense.
“What I would much rather Andrew do is build his own legacy, whatever that is,” Wayne said. “Andrew, he can’t be a Peyton Manning. He can’t be a Tom Brady. He can’t be an Aaron Rodgers. Only thing Andrew can do is be Andrew so whatever you’re motto is that’s what you need to work on. . . . I like what I see. Well, actually, I love what I see in him. He’s going to be very good. He really is, and as long as we can keep him clean up front and the skill guys continue to make plays for him, he going to be the face of the NFL soon.”
Luck made an immediate splash during his rookie season, carrying the Colts to an 11-5 season and a postseason appearance. The Colts are hoping for an encore and—unlike 2012—a trip past the first round.
Manning was his ususaly self last season, leading his Denver Broncos to a 13-3 record. However, like the Colts, the Broncos were out after one game.
