"If it was funny I would’ve laughed" - Years on and Kevin Durant still isn't amused by Peyton Manning's dig aimed at him at 2017 EPSY awards
Peyton Manning, the Hall of Fame quarterback, hosted the annual ESPY awards in 2017. During his opening monologue, Manning cracked jokes that had the entire audience, well, almost everyone, laughing hysterically. One of the now-former quarterback's jokes featured NBA star Kevin Durant as the punch line.
He mentioned that the US Women's Gymnastics team was present at the award show. He mentioned how they were the country's most successful women's gymnastics team. He went on to say that they had been so successful that Durant wanted to join them the following season. As a dig at Durant, who is constantly signing with different teams in search of an NBA championship.
"The Final Five won the most Olympic medals of any U.S. women's gymnastics team ever. And our gymnastics team was so dominant that Kevin Durant told me that he wants to play for them next year. And, I got to tell you, I don't think you'd start for that team Kevin."
While the ESPY joke took place back in 2017, just after Durant had won his first NBA title with the Golden State Warriors. Now a two-time Champion and the star of the Brooklyn Nets, Durant still hasn't found any humor in the joke.
This past summer, Durant responded to a Tweet by someone who said that they still find humor in the clip. He replied by saying that if he thought it was funny then he would have laughed.
"If it was funny I would’ve laughed…it’s a simple concept"- via @KDTrey5
@PSG_HeadHoncho If it was funny I would’ve laughed…it’s a simple concept
So, it appears that even years later, Kevin Durant didn't find any humor in Manning's joke about his desire to play for a team that had championship aspirations.
Durant is currently in his fourth season with the Brooklyn Nets. He was originally drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics, who moved and became the Oklahoma City Thunder. After ten seasons with the Thunder, he signed with the Warriors, where he won two NBA titles with Steph Curry and company.
Would Peyton Manning ever become an NFL coach?
Now that he has been retired for a few years, would Peyton Manning ever consider a career in coaching in the National Football League? It doesn't sound as if it entices him at this point in his life.
Peyton recently told the New York Post that what he enjoys about hosting the Manningcast and Peyton's Places on ESPN+ is that he gets to make his own schedule. He is at a point in his life right now where that works for him. He also helps coach his son Marshall's middle school football team.
“All of these opportunities now from ‘Peyton’s Places’ to the ‘Manningcast’ have been appealing because I get to pick my schedule a bit. I think whatever comes next just needs to be the right fit at the right time.”
Aren’t there any black NFL players who would want to coach? Asking for myself.
Here’s what Peyton Manning would need to accept an NFL coaching job nypost.com/2022/11/24/her…
He seems content with the fact that he has the right opportunities right now. Whether that will change in the future, especially when his children get older, remains to be seen. But for now, he will enjoy the entertainment and hosting gigs that he currently has established.