Year in and year out, Peyton Manning sits at or near the top of most passing statistical categories. He is gifted with the perfect size for an NFL quarterback and a strong arm, but succeeding as consistently as he has is also a result of being an intelligent athlete too. The Colts offense allows Manning to not only call almost every play, but wait until he is at the line to do it. This smart and talented player is one of the most famous players in professional sports, this is also due to the enormous amount of endorsement deals he has. Here though are five things you may not know about Peyton Manning.
1. During his freshman season at the University of Tennessee, Peyton Manning found himself at one point behind future Major League Baseball All-Star Todd Helton on the quarterback depth chart.
2. Peyton Manning completed his college degree in three years. He was projected to be the first overall pick in the NFL Draft after his junior season, but chose to return for his senior year at Tennessee anyway.
3. Peyton Manning went to Isidore Newman High School in New Orleans, Louisiana. Other notable people to graduate from the same high school as Manning include Michael Lewis (author), Monk Simons (College Football Hall of Fame Member), Harry Connick Jr. (singer and actor), John Lovell (2004 Summer Olympics silver medalist), Bryan Batt (actor), Christopher Rice (author and son of author Anne Rice), Ed Miller (author of poker books), and Walter Isaacson (editor of Time magazine, CEO of CNN). Manning’s older and younger brothers, Cooper and Eli, also went to high school at Isidore Newman High School.
4. Peyton Manning was drafted into the NFL with the first overall pick in 1998. The player chosen right behind him was Ryan Leaf who was taken by the San Diego Chargers. Manning’s first professional football victory came during his rookie season and was a 17-12 victory over Leaf’s Chargers.
5. Peyton and Ashley Manning were married on St. Patrick’s Day.
With his great athletic ability, smart off the field decisions, and somewhat humble nature, it is no surprise that Peyton Manning continues to be one of the most popular players in the National Football League. A look at the successes of his past, in high school, college, and the pros, and anyone can see that there must be more to this great player than just athletic ability. Peyton Manning has proven that an athletically gifted player who has a decent intellect is one of the most dangerous combinations as far as the opponent is concerned. With more than a decade of professional football serving as evidence behind him, it is easy to see that Peyton Manning will continue to enjoy fame, popularity, and most of all success for quite some time to come.
