Peyton Manning’s retirement, Donald Trump’s tiny hands, and Taco Bell’s Cheetos wrap. Here’s what was in the news 10 years ago this week.
Peyton Manning Calls It a Career
After 18 seasons, two Super Bowl rings, and countless “Omaha!” audibles, Peyton Manning officially walked away from the NFL. He went out on top, fresh off a Super Bowl 50 win with the Denver Broncos.
Donald Trump Denies Having Tiny Junk
In what may have been the most surreal moment of an already surreal election cycle, Donald Trump addressed the size of his hands – and then, unprompted, reassured America about what that supposedly meant. It happened during a Republican primary debate, days after “Little” Marco Rubio made a joke about men with “small hands.”
“Making a Murderer” Gets a Season 2
Just when the true-crime obsession couldn’t get any louder, word came that “Making a Murderer” might return for another season. The Netflix docuseries had already turned Steven Avery’s case into a national debate and made armchair detectives out of half the country. A follow-up promised more twists, but received mixed reviews when it debuted two years later in 2018.
Taco Bell Tests a Cheetos-Stuffed Wrap
Taco Bell decided subtlety was overrated and started testing a wrap stuffed with Cheetos. Not Cheeto-flavored – actual Cheetos, adding crunch and neon-orange flair to the fast-food mashup era. It was the first in a series of Cheetos-themed mashups for America’s largest “Mexican” food chain. Flamin’ Hot options would eventually follow.
San Francisco’s Waldo Tunnel Is Renamed for Robin Williams
The Waldo Tunnel, the iconic gateway into San Francisco, was officially renamed the Robin Williams Tunnel. The tribute honored the late comedian, who called the Bay Area home and remained one of its most beloved figures. For commuters driving under that rainbow-lit passage, it became more than infrastructure – it felt like a small, permanent nod to a hometown legend.
“Zootopia” Tops the Box Office
Disney’s animated buddy-cop movie “Zootopia” roared into theaters and knocked “Deadpool” down the chart. The talking-animal satire pulled in families while still sneaking in sharp social commentary, proving it wasn’t just kid fluff. After weeks of R-rated superhero dominance, it was a reminder that a clever PG movie could still own the cultural moment.
Jared from Subway Gains 30 Pounds in Prison
Less than a year after beginning his prison sentence, former Subway spokesman Jared Fogle reportedly gained 30 pounds behind bars. The irony was hard to ignore, given that his entire public identity had been built on weight loss and sandwiches. It was one more strange footnote in a scandal that had already completely rewritten a once-ubiquitous brand story.
Meet the Donut Cone
An ice cream shop in the Czech Republic went viral after looking at an ice cream cone and thinking, “What if this was a donut?” It was sugary excess stacked on sugary excess, tailor-made for Instagram’s golden age of food photos. Dessert had officially entered its hybrid era, and moderation wasn’t invited.
Erin Andrews Wins $55 Million in Peephole Civil Suit
Sportscaster Erin Andrews took the stand during her civil trial over a secretly recorded peephole video and became visibly emotional recounting the ordeal from 2008. The case highlighted the invasive nature of digital voyeurism and the toll it took on her career and personal life. It was a sobering moment in a media cycle often obsessed with spectacle, forcing a more serious conversation about privacy. Days later, a jury awarded her $55 million in damages.
Rumors of the Last Living Munchkin’s Death Were Greatly Exaggerated
Reports circulated that the last surviving Munchkin from “The Wizard of Oz” had died – a headline that felt like the official end of Old Hollywood. But unlike the Wicked Witch of the East’s legs under that farmhouse, it turned out Jerry Maren was very much still kickin’. He passed away two years later in 2018 at age 98.
