Twenty-five years after he was named the best quarterback in college football, Peyton Manning is returning to Knoxville. And he isn’t doing it as a coach.
Manning is joining the University of Tennessee’s College of Communication and Information as a Professor of Practice for the fall 2023 term, as explained at Overtime Heroics. (Don’t know about https://www.overtimeheroics.net/? Check them out for more NFL and college football news.)
As he enters a new chapter in his professional journey, what better time to look back at the Hall-of-Fame quarterback’s illustrious career path before he was considered one of the top five NFL players of all time?
Peyton Manning, of course, comes from one of America’s most famous football families. His father Archie was a long-time starter for the New Orleans Saints, the same city where Peyton would star at Isidore Newman School, losing only five games throughout his entire high school career.
Manning had offers from many of the top schools in the nation, including his father and older brother Cooper’s alma mater the University of Mississippi. But, rather than follow his family to Ole Miss, the future Hall-of-Famer took his talents north to Knoxville, choosing to join the University of Tennessee.
Under the mentorship of Volunteers coach Phillip Fulmer, Manning blossomed into one of the best quarterbacks in the nation. Across four seasons, he went an impressive 39-6, finished top ten in Heisman voting four times, and finished his career as the SEC’s all-time leader in passing yards. Further outlining his outstanding leadership qualities, Manning also won the 1997 Sullivan Award, given to the best collegiate or Olympic athlete based on character and sportsmanship.
With such an impeccable resume, there was no question that Manning would be one of the two top picks in the 1998 NFL draft along with Washington State quarterback Ryan Leaf. The future 14-time pro-bowler ended up going first overall to the Indianapolis Colts, where he would start for the next 13 seasons. While things got off to a rough start as a rookie (3-13 record, 28 INTs), Manning quickly found his footing and would have only one more losing season in Indianapolis.
Peyton quickly established himself as one of the top signal callers in the NFL, being named to the Pro Bowl three times between 1999 and 2002. With a rocket arm and legendary pre-snap recognition abilities, he helped turn the Colts into a perennial playoff team.
In 2003 and 2004, the NFL’s single-season touchdown leader took the leap from good to truly great, winning back-to-back MVP awards with help from perpetual All-Pros Edgerrin James and Marvin Harrison. The 2005 season was more of the same, with a second-place finish in MVP voting highlighting a dominating 14-2 regular season.
But, for all Manning’s individual success, the Colts had never managed to get over the hump. Despite winning 38 regular season games combined from 2003 to 2005, Indianapolis had just one conference championship appearance to show it. That would all change in 2006. The Colts went on to win three straight playoff games, including an astounding 38-34 come-from-behind victory over Tom Brady’s New England Patriots to reach their first Super Bowl since 1970. And, despite the Chicago Bears Devin Hester taking the open kickoff of SB XLI to the house, Manning and the Colts went on to win 29-17.
Throughout the rest of his time in Indianapolis, Manning continued to dominate as one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks, winning another two MVPs in 2008 and 2009 and coming just short of winning Super Bowl XLIV against Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints – his hometown team!
After a neck injury kept him out of the entire 2011 season, the Colts decided to part ways with Manning in favor of first-overall pick Andrew Luck.
One of the most highly sought-after free agents in 2012, Manning eventually settled with the Denver Broncos. The Tennessee grad picked up right where he left off back in Indiana, throwing for nearly 4700 yards and leading the Mile High City to their first 13-win season since 2005. Peyton Manning’s stats in his 2013 MVP campaign were somehow even better, a season many would call his magnum opus. The veteran gunslinger threw for a mind-boggling 5477 yards and 55 touchdowns, both NFL records that still stand today. While it ended poorly in a blowout loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII, Manning would get one last chance two seasons later.
In 2015, at the age of 39, Peyton Manning got one last chance at some Super Bowl wins. Despite his arm not being what it once was, the 5x MVP rode his veteran savvy and stacked defense to a surprise victory over Cam Newton’s Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50.
After the season, Manning announced his retirement from football, leaving the game as the NFL’s all-time leader in career passing yards and passing touchdowns.
Outside of his upcoming professorship, Manning has spent plenty of time working in television since leaving the field. His football documentary series Peyton’s Places has enjoyed three successful seasons, while his alternative Monday Night Football broadcast with his brother Eli has also proven wildly popular.
