Peyton Manning is one of the most decorated, acclaimed, and beloved players in all of sports history. Arguably one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play, his legacy is one of dedication, the strength of character, and an unparalleled amount of success. From college accolades to triumph in the NFL, Manning has become a larger-than-life figure whose life and career have been the subject of countless adulations and reminiscences.
Table of Contents:
1. Early Life and College Career
2. Entry into the NFL
3. Professional Successes in the Field
4 Legacy and Legacy Awards
5. Peyton Manning Quotes
- Early Life and College Career
Peyton Manning was born on March 24th, 1976 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is the middle child of three, with an older brother Cooper and a younger sister, Maya. His father was a former NFL quarterback, Peyton ‘Archie’ Manning, and his mother, Olivia, was a teacher. After attending Isidore Newman High School in New Orleans, Manning went on to play college football for the University of Tennessee. In his four years as a starter, Manning set an NCAA passing record with 11,201 yards and 89 touchdowns.
As a result of his exceptional play, Manning was given the highest honor in college sports when he won the James U. Blanchard award in 1997 and was a two-time All-American and SEC Player of the year. He left Tennessee as its all-time leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns. He was also the first pick in the NFL draft in 1998, thereby setting the stage for a storied football career.
- Entry into the NFL
Manning was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts as the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL draft. It was here, with coach Tony Dungy, that Manning really put on the mantle of legendary quarterback. Manning was selected to the Pro Bowl 11 times and was a four-time MVP in 13 seasons with the Colts. During his time in the NFL, he passed for 54,828 yards, 399 touchdowns, and had a passer rating of 95.5.
Manning’s tenure with the Colts was also marked by greatness on the field. He won a Super Bowl championship in 2006 when the Colts defeated the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI. In addition, he was also a three-time Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player, two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year, two-time AP NFL All-Pro, and two-time Super Bowl champion in 2007 and 2008.
- Professional Successes in the Field
Manning achieved many successes on the field that distinguished him as one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play in the NFL. He holds the record for most Pro Bowl appearances by a quarterback, the most passing touchdowns in a single season (55 in 2013), passes for his team to make a comeback from a deficit (71 over his career), and the most consecutive games with a TD pass. In addition, Manning holds the record for most passing yards in a single season (5477 in 2013) and most passing yards in a career (72,964). He is also the only quarterback to have a 5,000-yard season multiple times.
Manning was also known for his leadership on the field. He knew how to get the best out of his teammates, earning the nickname “The Sheriff” among his fans and across the NFL. He was always leading the offense and had a tremendous ability to read the defense, leading to a lot of success during his career.
- Legacy and Legacy Awards
Manning’s legacy and reputation led to countless awards and honors, including being selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021. He is only the fourth quarterback in NFL history to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Manning was also named NFL MVP three times, Super Bowl MVP two times, the league’s Man of the Year in 2005, and was the first player ever to win the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year award three years in a row. In addition, he was awarded the Maxwell Club Professional of the Year Award in 2007 and named Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year in 2013.
Peyton Manning Quotes
“The attitude with which we approach the situation can determine our success or failure.” — Peyton Manning
“Pressure is something you feel when you don’t know what the hell you’re doing.” — Peyton Manning
“Remind your critics when they say you don’t have the expertise or experience to do something that an amateur built the ark and the experts built the Titanic.” — Peyton Manning
“I love being coached. I get angry when I’m not coached. I ask a lot of questions and certainly appreciate any insight and feedback. I think if you ever stop listening to coaching or stop asking questions, you probably need to be doing something else.” — Peyton Manning
“If you wait for others to initiate change you automatically become a follower.” — Peyton Manning
“Boy, do I hate to lose.” — Peyton Manning
“In life, and in sports, we all know that nothing lasts forever.” — Peyton Manning
“If you work hard and you play well, all those critics quiet themselves pretty quickly.” — Peyton Manning
“You’ve got to remember what your priorities are. When you’re playing, what u do on the field is the most important thing.” — Peyton Manning
“I never left the field saying I could have done more to get ready and that gives me peace of mind.” — Peyton Manning
“If nothing else in life, I want to be true to the things I believe in, and quite simply, to what I’m all about. I know I’d better because it seems whenever I take a false step or two I feel the consequences.” — Peyton Manning
“I pray every night, sometimes long prayers about a lot of things and a lot of people, but I don’t talk about it or brag about it because that’s between God and me, and I’m no better than anybody else in God’s sight.” — Peyton Manning
“When you go through a significant injury and have a major career change, you truly do go one year at a time, and you don’t look past what’s going on now, because you are not sure what’s going to happen. Tomorrow is not promised.” — Peyton Manning
“I’ve been a Colt for almost all of my adult life, but I guess in life, and in sports, we all know nothing lasts forever. Times change, circumstances change, and that’s the reality of playing in the NFL.” — Peyton Manning
“I understand the seriousness of concussions.” — Peyton Manning
“I’m happy to volunteer for the American Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet. The Red Cross is an organization that responds to those in need and it is an honor to help them with the lifesaving role they play every day in communities nationwide.” — Peyton Manning
“I don’t like to play favorites, and I do try to spread the ball around. But there’s an old rule: You throw to the guys who get open in practice.” — Peyton Manning
“When people are watching you, it makes you think twice about what you do, and the things you say, and the people you hang around with.” — Peyton Manning
“You hear about how many fourth-quarter comebacks that a guy has and I think it means a guy screwed up in the first three quarters.” — Peyton Manning
“I am stronger than I was last year. I am throwing the ball better now in May of 2013 than I did in May of 2012 – significantly better. I got better throughout the season.” — Peyton Manning
“I’ve been being asked about my legacy since I was about 25 years old. I’m not sure you can have a legacy when you’re 25 years old. Even 37. I’d like to have to be, like, 70 to have a legacy. I’m not even 100 percent sure what the word even means.” — Peyton Manning
“I’m a serious person by nature – sometimes too serious.” — Peyton Manning
“I don’t want to retire. I still want to play.” — Peyton Manning
“My dad was a class person on and off the field. That’s the person I want to be.” — Peyton Manning
“Touchdowns to me means that you’re scoring points and helping your team win games. You can have a lot of yards and not have points and not win games. So, this only means something because it has helped our teams win games and we won the division today in a competitive AFC West, that’s a good thing.” — Peyton Manning
“He had a Halloween party and I dressed up as The King. One of the more enjoyable nights I’ve had. Nobody recognized me. They recognized me, but they recognized me as Elvis. I might have to bring that back to Indianapolis.” — Peyton Manning
“My high-school coach Tony Reginelli was kind of famous for ‘Reggie-isms,’ kind of like ‘Yogi-isms.’ He always said if you want to be a good quarterback when sprinting left you to want to be amphibious and throw left-handed. I told him, ‘You mean ambidextrous, coach?’” — Peyton Manning
“If people think I’m a laid-back guy, that’s their mistake.” — Peyton Manning
“I committed my life to Christ, and that faith has been most important to me ever since.” — Peyton Manning
“When you get a lot of money thrown at you, you can make some dumb decisions without the right advice.” — Peyton Manning
“We have to try really hard to not accidentally summon a demon.” — Peyton Manning
“I’m the best Manning.” — Peyton Manning
“Some guys leave a place after a long time, and they’re bitter. Not me.” — Peyton Manning
“If teams keep playing us this way, it’s going to be like this.” — Peyton Manning
“The game was much like our season. This game tested our toughness, our resilience, and our unselfishness. It’s only fitting that it turned out this way. This is a great bunch of guys to play with. I feel very, very grateful.” — Peyton Manning
“I think e-mail is kind of a cheap way to communicate. It’s a lazy way of writing a letter, you know.” — Peyton Manning
“I would like to think I will be a guy who knows when it’s time to stop. I don’t want to be a guy who hung on and hung on. I do not have a goal in mind of a year or a statistic.” — Peyton Manning
“The head coach tells us what to do, and we follow his orders.” — Peyton Manning
“Being there every week for my teammates is really important to me. It’s about accountability. I hear stuff about the ‘toughest quarterback in the league” and all that; what’s that mean?” — Peyton Manning
“I don’t usually stink, but I stunk.” — Peyton Manning
“If your team is going to win, you need to play better than the other quarterback.” — Peyton Manning
“After a loss like this, we just have to go back and work harder. We got outplayed and that’s all there is to it. You have to let it go, move on, and just work harder.” — Peyton Manning
“Some guys lose their focus. They get caught up in business deals or endorsements, and they lose their focus. For me, it’s always about football. I’ve never lost sight of what’s making all these other things happen.” — Peyton Manning
“Nobody really wants to hear about anybody else’s injuries. Or how your back feels. Whose back doesn’t hurt?” — Peyton Manning
“My job is to play well offensively and help my team score points. So I feel very responsible every time we lose a game.” — Peyton Manning
“An imitation is obviously a great form of flattery.” — Peyton Manning
“You can play pickup basketball, but you can’t really re-create football.” — Peyton Manning
“I’d like people to understand that I do have some personality.” — Peyton Manning
“It goes without saying, winning against a good team in a hostile crowd on the road, it’s just an absolutely huge win.” — Peyton Manning
“I feel one of the most significant honors a player can have in his sport is to have his number retired. Certainly for me to have that at Tennessee, it’s with great pride.” — Peyton Manning
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