Peyton Manning says Bill Belichick once put Peter Boulware in the Pro Bowl to spite Art Modell

Monday evening ManningCastPeyton Manning says Bill Belichick once found an unusual way to get revenge on Art Modell, the owner who fired him as Browns head coach.

According to Manning, Belichick once added Ravens linebacker Peter Boulware to the AFC Pro Bowl roster because Boulware owed a $1 million bonus if he played in the Pro Bowl. Belichick wanted to force Modell, who moved the Browns to Baltimore and changed their name to Ravens after firing Belichick, to pay.

“He chose Peter Boulware because he knew Art Modell would have to pay Boulware a million dollar bounty if Boulware made the Pro Bowl. Belichick hated Modell,” Manning said.

The Pro Bowl in question was after the 1998 season. Belichick was the associate head coach and defensive coordinator for the Jets at the time, and he coached the AFC Pro Bowl team that year after coach- Jets leader Bill Parcells stayed home, citing health reasons.

Boulware was indeed added to the AFC Pro Bowl roster that year as a “necessary player” from the AFC. After the AFC and NFC coaches were determined, each picked a player they felt they needed on their team, and Boulware said at the time he was surprised to learn he was the player. that the AFC needed.

“I’m a little shocked. I had really given up on the Pro Bowl,” Boulware told the baltimore sun in January 1999. “I was just concentrating on the off season, training, preparing for next season. I had forgotten the Pro Bowl. I take that as a blessing. I take this humbly. I’m just grateful to go.

It’s worth noting that it’s not like Belichick picked Boulware out of the blue: Coaches could only choose a “necessary player” who was named first backup to linebacker or defensive end in the first Pro Bowl voting round, so Belichick picked Boulware out of only a handful of options.

But once he saw that Boulware was one of his options, it’s certainly possible that Belichick thought about sticking with Modell to make his decision. That’s exactly what Manning says.

Peyton Manning says Bill Belichick once put Peter Boulware in the Pro Bowl despite Art Modell originally appearing on Pro Football Talk