Most people remember Peyton Manning for his football throws, but not for tossing pizza. For 6 years, the two-time Super Bowl winner was a Papa John’s franchise owner, co-owning 31 restaurants in the Denver area. Then, in February 2018, Manning sold every restaurant he owned. Two days later, Papa John’s ended its sponsorship deal with the NFL, closing out an eight-year partnership that had begun in 2010. According to multiple outlets that later covered the sale, the timing was so precisely aligned that it almost seemed planned in advance. Whatever the reason, Manning’s exit is a useful example of knowing when to step back from a brand before its troubles become yours.
A quarterback with a side hustle
