Peyton Manning wasn't always the joking ESPY host you know. 'Daggum it, let's make it funny.'

In Indianapolis, Peyton Manning evolved from a quiet quarterback with a Southern draw to a brand endorsing, ESPY Awards hosting, animated bull voicing king of comedy.

That evolution wasn't totally natural, either. Archie Manning said his middle son had to work at it — and he did, like he always does, until he nailed it.

"I can’t say he was (funny growing up)," Archie recently told IndyStar. "His older brother (Cooper Manning) was the family clown, still is."

With the unveiling of a Manning statue at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday and his induction into the Colts' Ring of Honor, let's look back at Manning's comedic skills. We'll start in 1999 to get a glimpse of Manning's early acting journey, before his funny was fully developed.

10. 'I love investing with First Tennessee'

See, it's obvious here. This commercial is so awkward that it's actually funny.

In a 2007 story, the woman who co-starred in Manning's first commercial remembered how shy he was.

"I remember that he was rather shy himself, you know?" Sister Maris Stella said then. "And very professional. The lady had to do his makeup and that made him a little self-conscious. 

9. 'Cool it, Eli' 

This is a pretty awkward bit featuring Eli Manning, Cooper, Peyton and Archie. They've done more skits together since, and they pretty much got better over time.

"It’s something (Peyton) worked at," Archie continued. "It’s supposed to be funny, (so) 'Daggum it, let’s make it funny.' His personality changed and he became funny."

8. Cut that meat!

This was Manning's breakthrough television spot. A Mastercard commercial including the 'Cut that meat!' segment that put him on the acting map.

Even in 2014, long after he became a champion of several brands, Manning told The Denver Post he hates watching his own commercials.

“I change the channel immediately,” Manning said with a laugh. “If other teammates are in the room, I run out of the room. I don’t want to hear the abuse coming my way. I don’t watch a ton of TV so I don’t see a lot of it but that is what I do, I change the channel.

“Nobody should be caught watching themselves on a commercial.”

7. Saturday Night Live

Manning called a pretty bold audible just ahead of his 2007 appearance on SNL.

There had been a late change in the monologue, and just before the nation was about to see Peyton Manning  as host of "Saturday Night Live," the Indianapolis Colts quarterback wanted to make sure he had something straight.

Seth Meyers, a cast member and one of the head writers, said Manning wanted to make sure it was OK to say "ass."

"I said to go ahead," Meyers recalled on his way out of NBC Studios. "I didn't really know if it was OK. I just wanted to hear him say it."

Manning, of course, went on to five-star performance. He made an obscene gesture. He trolled small children, telling one who couldn't catch a rocketed pass, "You suck."

And that wasn't all.

"I'll kill a snitch," Manning told the children. "I'm not saying I have. I'm not saying I haven't."

6. F.O.Y.P

Peyton and Eli built on-camera chemistry through a string of DirecTV ads. They were mostly all terrible, but this music video is probably the worst of them all.

They own it, though, and make the most of it. It's funny because it's bad.

5. He was a goof off-camera at times, too

Manning obviously put some time into thinking about this one. When asked about a back injury during the 2015 season, he responded with a full injury report for media members.

“You know my thoughts on the injury report. I think the media should do an injury report as well. I’d like to create it myself. Think about it. I’m going to put down what I think your injuries are.

“Let me start with (KUSA reporter Mike) Klis. The carpal tunnel from all the texting of his sources. Who else? D-Mac (104.3 The Fan host Darren McKee), the laryngitis from ripping me all week. The rash that he has that’s unidentified. The fact that he’s still is here every day to overcome that, I think it admirable. (Denver Post columnist) Woody (Paige), in my opinion, is probably the healthiest of all of you, and this is not a healthy group by any means. But Woody is healthy.

“Who else? (USA Today reporter) Lindsay Jones — the bunions from all the travel to the West Coast. Like I said, I never hear you guys complaining about it, so I’m not going to complain about it. In many ways you guys inspire me.”

4. Laser-rocket arm

Do you like 6-5, 230-pound quarterbacks with laser-rocket arms? That mustache comes up again in No. 2 ...

3. The Dark Side

This ESPY Award bit put Manning alongside Sandra Bullock. Sorta.

The skit starts with Manning responding to edited clips of Bullock when she's actually talking to Michael Oher's character in The Blind Side.

"Yes, I have a place to stay," Manning quipped. "Lady, I'm not lying. I'm Peyton Manning! I have a couple of homes."

And then later, crouched behind a couch, Eli gets a cameo.

"Eli, this is serious," Manning said. "This crazy lady is holding me prisoner in her house. She keeps calling me, 'Big Mike.' Stop laughing, it's not funny."

2. 'You look like a succulent baby lamb'

Manning's laughs throughout this segment with Will Ferrel's Ron Burgundy character seem pretty sincere, which makes the whole thing difficult to watch without grinning.

And back to that mustache joke. "You've had a lot of success, and yet you've done it all without a mustache. And I'm going to be honest with you, you look like a succulent baby lamb."

Manning said he never had much desire to grow facial hair. And then, of course, he got a dig in on Eli.

1. Peyton runs wild at The ESPY Awards.

This year, Manning's evolution is complete. He hosted the 25th Espy Awards in Los Angeles and put together a great night of jokes and self-depricating humor. No moment was more memorable than when he put Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant.

“I love that the final five,” Manning said, referring to the U.S. Women’s gymnastics team, “won the most Olympic medals as any U.S. gymnastics team ever. And our gymnastics team was so dominant that Kevin Durant told me he wants to play for them next year.”

The cameras darted to Durant, who appeared less than amused. At least his mother Wanda, sitting next to him, was laughing.

And Manning didn’t stop there.

“And I gotta tell you, I don’t think you’d start for that team Kevin. Russell Westbrook, what do you think?”

During an April event at Lucas Oil Stadium, Manning joked about retirement and answered questions for about 30 minutes. Of course, his commercials came up.

“I apologize,” he told the crowd. “I’ve retired from football but I have not retired from being on your television screen 24/7.”

Hopefully he won't anytime soon.

IndyStar sports producer Dakota Crawford had a hard timing sorting through all these Manning commercials and moments. If he missed a great one, send it to him on Twitter: @DakotaCrawford_.

Peyton Manning's big weekend

Manning statue unveiled

3 p.m. Saturday: The Colts will unveil a statue of Peyton Manning on the north plaza outside of Lucas Oil Stadium. IndyStar will stream the unveiling live on Facebook.

Manning jersey retired

Halftime of Sunday's game: Manning’s No. 18 jersey will be officially retired and he will be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor during the Colts' home game against the San Francisco 49ers.