Bill Belichick was part of many historic battles with the Indianapolis Colts when he was the head coach of the New England Patriots, particularly in the early-to-mid 2000s when the Patriots were engaging in battles with the Peyton Manning-led Colts.
Manning was already tough enough to deal with, especially when he was airing it out at the RCA Dome. Belichick remembers another aspect of playing in the stadium with the inflated roof, one that was a bigger nuisance than anything Manning did with his arm.
"I'll tell you what Peyton. The crowd noise there wasn't as bad as it was when you guys piped in music at the RCA Dome," Belichick told Manning on the "Manningcast" during "Monday Night Football" when asked about the crowd noise in Kansas City. "And then when the music skipped, the crowd noise skipped, that's when we knew when you were pumping it in."
Bill Belichick called out the Colts for pumping in fake crowd noise against the Pats 😭 @EliManning pic.twitter.com/9sKDLpVBT3
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) October 8, 2024
Manning and the Colts against Belichick, Brady and the Patriots was the rivalry of the 2000s. Even though Manning went 3-7 against the Patriots from 2001 through 2007, Manning did beat them in the 2006 AFC Championship Game at the RCA Dome. The Colts were 3-4 at the RCA Dome in playoff games under Manning, but won the lone AFC Championship Game there -- Manning's signature victory over Brady.
One of the loudest stadiums in the NFL during the 2000s, Belichick indicated the RCA Dome had some help in being that loud. Manning certainly isn't denying the allegation.
