Ashley Manning was also accused of accepting human growth hormone on Peyton's behalf in an Al Jazeera documentary

Peyton Manning allegedly avoided being sued over a dog-bite by saying that the pooch belonged to his wife.

Harold Martin, a groundskeeper, claims that he was trimming hedges near the Mannings' Indianapolis home when their dog ran out and bit him, according to a report in NY Daily News on Tuesday.

Martin filed for damages in 2010, but Peyton, now a quarterback for the Denver Broncos, was able to avoid a deposition by saying that the dog belonged to his better half not him.

Dutiful: Ashley Manning (pictured, left, with husband Peyton in 2009) agreed to be deposed in a dog-bite lawsuit after her husband said the dog only belonged to her. She has been accused of accepting HGH on his behalf

'Peyton Manning claimed it was his wife's dog,' Norman Reed, an Indiana attorney told the Daily News. 'Because of that, he refused to make himself available for a deposition.'

The case was eventually settled in 2013. The Mannings' then lawyer, Sheryl McNeil, did not respond to a request for comment, the NY Daily News said.

Manning's wholesome image has been battered of late by claims made in Al Jazeera documentary The Dark Side that he had his wife accept shipments of HGH for him

The documentary, which aired in December, featured testimony from pharmacist Charles Sly, who claimed to have sent the hormone to the Mannings' house, although he later recanted his claim.

Manning, a quarterback for the Denver Broncos, has a wholesome image, but has been troubled by the HGH allegations, which he denies, and revived claims that he sexually assaulted a female medic in 1996

Manning admitted that his wife Ashley received prescriptions to their house in the mail and his spokesman confirmed she used the clinic at the center of the investigation. However, Manning's spokesman would not confirm what medicine was ordered, citing Mrs Manning's right to privacy.

Manning said he was 'angry, furious' and 'disgusted' by the claims. 'It's completely fabricated, complete trash, garbage,' he said. 'There's more adjectives I'd like to be able to use. It really makes me sick.'

His reputation hit another bump this month when he was named in a lawsuit accusing the University of Tennessee of 'creating a hostile sexual environment' against women.

The lawsuit made reference to an incident in 1996, when Manning was accused of rubbing his bare backside and testicles on the face of Jamie Naughright, a female medic, as she assessed an injury.

The case was settled for an undisclosed sum the following year, but she sued him for defamation in 2002 after he discussed the incident in a book. The lawsuit was settled in 2003.

The university has since said it wants the Manning incident removed from the lawsuit, citing an 'utter lack of relevance.'