Peyton Manning explains how Patriots played a part in him signing with the Broncos

Former Indianapolis Colts quarterback, new Hall of Famer and flag football coach Peyton Manning went on Bill Simmons' podcast on The Ringer.

Among the highlights: The Patriots were one reason he signed with the Broncos.

Manning had to leave the Colts after missing the 2010 season due to a neck injury because of the team's salary cap situation and wasn't prepared for one of the reasons he chose the Broncos.

"I remember talking with the 49ers, talking with Seattle and talking to the Cardinals, and the whole recurring theme in my mind, I'm just an AFC guy," Manning told Simmons. "I think I should stay in the AFC. You'd think it'd be, 'Please get away from the Patriots, go play in the NFC.' I don't know, if you're going to play in the Super Bowl, you're going to have to go through New England, so might as well play them in the AFC championship every year.

"New England had a little role in my decision to go to Denver."

Manning then led the Broncos over the Patriots in the AFC title games in 2013 and 2015, winning his second Super Bowl in 2015.

Here are some other highlights:

How Tony Dungy helped Peyton Manning become a better quarterback

Manning had an 85.1 passer rating his first four seasons under Jim Mora and made two Pro Bowls. But when Tony Dungy was hired in 2002, Manning posted a 100.5 passer rating, made the Pro Bowl all seven seasons under Dungy and was first team All-Pro four times.

Certainly some of that was natural development and maturity by Manning but he pointed to a specific aspect of playing quarterback that Dungy — a former defensive coordinator — helped him with.

"I feel like quarterbacks understand defenses as well as certain defensive players," Manning said. "Tony Dungy, the best thing he brought to me when he came in 2002, he really taught me the defense, 'Peyton, these are their rules, this is what bothers this defense, think that way.'

Peyton Manning doesn't want anyone to ask Bill Belichick about him

"When you get a compliment from Bill Belichick, it means something. He's not really impressed by a lot of things," Manning said. "I remember sitting on a bus with him at a Pro Bowl and I love hearing about the old days when he's a d-coordinator. What was it like (facing) Joe Montana. He's like, 'You've got Jerry Rice on these short drag routes, how hard is it to complete it to him.' How about Jim Kelly in the K Gun? 'You've got Thurman (Thomas).'

"Don't ever ask Belichick what he thinks of me because I don't want to hear it. It's not that hard when you've got Edgerrin James and Marvin Harrison."

Peyton Manning on beating the Patriots in the AFC title game in 2007

"To beat the Patriots, who had had our number in the playoffs at home, in Indy, I still can remember the electricity in the city that night. Indianapolis' first world championship. The fans, the players, we felt like we were going to win the Super Bowl because we'd beaten New England. If we can beat this team, there's no stopping us now. We were on a confidence and emotional high going into that Super Bowl."

Manning had gone 2-10 vs. the Patriots but that AFC title game was his third win in a row against Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, and would eventually win 5 of 6. The Colts, of course, beat Chicago 29-17 in the Super Bowl for the franchise first, and still only, Super Bowl title in Indianapolis.

Follow IndyStar Deputy Sports Editor Nat Newell at on Twitter: @NatJNewell.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Peyton Manning on how Patriots played part in him signing with Broncos