Adam Gase jokingly tried to lure Peyton Manning to Miami Dolphins in 2016

June 24 (UPI) -- Miami Dolphins coach Adam Gase phoned an old friend when quarterback Ryan Tannehill was injured last season.

That friend was Peyton Manning.

The first-year head coach was leading the franchise to the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade when Tannehill went down in a Week 14 contest against the Arizona Cardinals. The injury immediately looked serious. Tannehill would go on to miss the final two regular season contests and the Dolphins' 30-12 loss in January to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC wild card round.

Archie Manning told the New Orleans Times-Picayune about the exchange between his son and Gase.

"It started with Gase," Archie Manning said, while at the Manning Passing Academy at Nicholls State. "He said, 'Hey 18, Tannehill went down.' He said, 'I think he's going to miss some time. The first question I'm going to get at the press conference in the morning is if I'm going to try to bring you to Miami. What do you want me to tell them?'

Manning responded with a joke.

"The text message came back from Peyton, 'You tell them I could probably come play, but there's no way I can miss carpool the next two weeks.' So, he was done," Archie Manning said of the exchange.

Gase was Manning's offensive coordinator in 2013 and 2014 with the Denver Broncos. He was the team's quarterbacks coach in 2012. In 2013, the seven-time All-Pro broke several NFL single-season records when he passed for 5,477 yards and 55 touchdowns.

The Dolphins went on to sign back up T.J. Yates after the Tannehill injury. Matt Moore started the team's final two games and its playoff loss.

Manning turned 41-years-old in March. The Miami Herald reported that he had dinner with Gase last spring in South Florida. Manning also visited the Dolphins' training camp last year and advised the team on its recently acquired tight end, Julius Thomas. Dolphins offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen worked with Manning during his time with the Indianapolis Colts. Christensen served as the Colts' wide receivers coach, assistant coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Manning seems to be enjoying retirement. After winning the Super Bowl in his final season, the five-time NFL MVP stepped away from the game in 2016. He left the league with $400 million in career earnings, according to Forbes. Manning enjoyed a round of golf with President Donald Trump earlier this month at Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Va.