Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976 in New Orleans, Louisiana) is an American football quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts NFL franchise. He is the son of former New Orleans Saints quarterback Archie Manning and Olivia Manning. He is the older brother of current New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning and the younger brother of former Ole Miss receiver Cooper Manning, whose college career was cut short by spinal stenosis.
Peyton played high school football in New Orleans, for Louisiana's Isidore Newman School, college football for the University of Tennessee and was selected by the Indianapolis Colts as the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft.
Manning married his college girlfriend, Ashley Thompson, on March 17, 2001.
Manning holds several NFL passing records, including: touchdown passes in a single season (49 in 2004), most consecutive seasons with over 4,000 yards passing (6 from 1999 through 2004), and most seasons with 4,000 or more yards passing in a career (7). His career 94.4 passing rating in the NFL ranks first among active QB's with at least 1,500 passing attempts, and second all-time to Steve Young's 96.8. In nine NFL seasons, Manning has thrown for 275 touchdowns in his career (ranking him seventh all-time), and has thrown for a total of 37,586 yards in his career (ranking him thirteenth all-time).
At Isidore Newman High School in New Orleans, Manning started three consecutive seasons at quarterback (#14) for Newman's head football coaches Tony Reginelli and Keefe Hecker, throwing for 7,207 yards and 92 touchdowns and leading his team to a 34-5 record. He was the 93-94 Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Louisiana.
One of Peyton's receivers during his sophomore season, his first starting at QB, was his older brother, Cooper (#18), then a senior. Cooper was recruited heavily and went to Ole Miss, their father's alma mater, but was diagnosed with spinal stenosis before his freshman year which ended his football career.[10]
Because of his father's legacy at Ole Miss, Manning stunned many when he chose to attend and play for the University of Tennessee. He became Tennessee's all-time leading passer with 11,201 yards, 863 completions and 89 touchdowns, while compiling a 39-6 record as a starter, setting an SEC record for career wins (although Georgia's David Greene would set a new record of 42 wins in 2005). In his college career, he threw only 33 interceptions in 1,381 attempts, an NCAA record for best all-time interception percentage. He was 3-1 in his four bowl appearances. He completed his degree in three years, a BA in speech communication with a 3.61 GPA and Phi Beta Kappa honors, and was projected to be the top overall pick in the NFL Draft but returned to Tennessee for his senior year. In his senior season, Manning threw for 3,819 yards and 36 touchdowns, lead the Vols to the SEC title and finished second in 1997 Heisman Trophy voting to the University of Michigan's Charles Woodson. Manning received the 1997 James E. Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the United States. In 2005, Tennessee retired Manning's number (#16),[11] making him only the 3rd Tennessee player to have his number retired while still living. One of the streets leading to Neyland Stadium has been re-named Peyton Manning Pass.
In 1996, while still quarterback at the University of Tennessee, Manning dropped his pants while being treated by assistant athletic trainer Jamie Ann Naughright née Whited. After an investigation, the university concluded the incident was a "mooning" gone awry and not sexual in nature, and Manning was disciplined and required to apologize in writing to Ms. Naughright.[14] The university chose to settle Ms. Naughright's sexual harassment claims (which included the Manning incident) for $300,000.[15] In 2003, Manning settled a 2002 lawsuit filed by Ms. Naughright for $300,000. In the suit Ms Naughright alleged that "Manning: A Father, His Sons and a Football Legacy", a book written by Manning, his father and author John Underwood, defamed her.[16]
Manning was selected first overall in the 1998 draft by the Indianapolis Colts and has started every game in his NFL career, missing only one snap due to injury despite sustaining injuries as serious as a broken jaw inflicted by defensive end Lorenzo Bromell.[17] He was the NFL co-MVP in 2003,[18] sharing the honor with then Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair. In 2004, Manning became the highest-paid player in NFL history at the time, signing a $99.2m contract for seven years with a $34.5m signing bonus, an average of $14.17m annually. Under the contract, Manning is also eligible to earn an extra $19m in incentives.[19]
In scouting reports, Manning is known as a "pure" pocket passer rather than a "scrambler." Among active quarterbacks Manning is often compared with New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady. Manning is well-known for his frantic hand gestures and shouting before the play while calling out audibles, often stretching play preparation near the end of the play clock.
Peyton Manning was the first draft pick of the 1998 NFL Draft, selected by Indianapolis, and started immediately for the team. Manning passed for 3,739 with 26 touchdowns and 28 interceptions. He set five different NFL rookie records, including most touchdown passes in a season and was named to the NFL All-Rookie First Team. The Colts finished 3-13.[20]
Prior to the beginning of the season, the Colts selected running back Edgerrin James during the NFL draft. Manning and James led the team to a 13-3 record, an AFC East championship, and the playoffs. Manning passed for over 4,000 yards and 26 touchdown passes and the team earned a first round bye as the AFC's second seed, behind Jacksonville.[21] In the playoffs the Colts fell 19-16 to the Super Bowl bound Tennessee Titans. Manning completed 19 of 43 passes with no touchdowns.[22]
Manning threw for 4,267 yards and 29 touchdowns during the regular season, leading his team to a 12-4 record despite having a defense that ranked 20th in the NFL in points allowed (336).[23] In the wild card playoff round Manning and the Colts defeated the Denver Broncos 41-10, Manning's first playoff win after first round losses in the 3 previous seasons. He completed 22 of 26 passes for 377 yards and 5 touchdowns in the game, earning him a perfect 158.3 Passer Rating. In the divisional playoffs, Manning led the Colts to a 38-31 win over the Kansas City Chiefs[24] in the first puntless game in NFL playoff history,[25] throwing for 304 yards and 3 touchdowns, and earning a 138.8 passer rating.[26] In the AFC title game Manning was shut down by the New England Patriots defense and posted the third lowest passer rating of his career at 35.5.[22] The Patriots defense intercepted Manning four times (three of them by Ty Law) as the Colts lost the game 24-14.[27]
In 2004, Manning threw for 4,557 yards, had a 121.1 quarterback rating, and 49 touchdowns. He surpassed the record for TD passes in a season (48) held by Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino for two decades and the previous single-season quarterback rating of 112.8 set by Hall of Fame San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young. Manning led the Colts to a 12-4 record and their second consecutive AFC South division title. He was selected as the 2004 NFL MVP drawing 49 of 50 votes (Michael Vick received one vote) and was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year. The Colts' 2004 season ended in Foxborough for a second straight year with a 20-3 loss in the AFC Divisional Playoff game against New England when Manning played his worst game of the year, recording a season-low passer rating of 69.3 and posting a season-low 3 points of offense. It was Manning's seventh consecutive loss to the Patriots in Foxborough, MA. The Colts' three points were their lowest single game point total since their opening game of the 2003 season.[28]
In 2005 the Colts had a greatly improved defense over that of recent years. In week 15, the Colts had a perfect 13-0 record, and had secured the AFC South, home field advantage throughout the playoffs, and a first round bye. Nevertheless, Tony Dungy made the decision to play all of his regular starters against the Chargers in the hopes of keeping his team sharp for the playoffs. However, the Colts played a sub-par game against the Chargers and fell short of the win; the score was 26-17.[29] Manning finished the season with 3,747 passing yards, the first time he had thrown for under 4,000 yards since his rookie season of 1998, largely due to the fact that Manning sat out much of the final two games with the top AFC seed clinched.
On January 15, 2006, the Pittsburgh Steelers visited the RCA Dome for the second AFC divisional playoff game of the 2005 season. The Steelers gained a 14-3 lead by halftime. In the 4th quarter with only a few minutes left in the game, Manning threw what looked to be the game-ending interception to Troy Polamalu, but the interception was overturned (a call the NFL later admitted was incorrect).[30] The Colts went on to score, and were able to get the ball back down three points near the end of the game. On 4th down Manning was sacked near his own goal line, and the game seemed to be over as the Steelers were one yard from a touchdown. On the play the ball was handed off to Jerome Bettis who fumbled the ball. It was picked up by Colts defender Nick Harper who appeared to have a clear path down the sideline for what might have been the game-winning score. However, he cut to the center of the field where Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was running backwards hoping to get into position to tackle. He managed to dive in front of Harper and tackle him by the leg, saving a touchdown. The Colts drove down the field from their own 42 yard line to the Steelers 27 yard line, before Mike Vanderjagt missed a field goal as time ran out. (It was the first time a 6th seeded team would eventually go on to win the Super Bowl when the Steelers won Super Bowl XL.)
Peyton came in second in voting for the 2005 MVP award to Shaun Alexander (19 to 13, out of 50 voters), ending his streak at two years. He was named the 2005 winner of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award and nominated for the 2005 FedEx Air Player of the Year Award, along with Tom Brady and Carson Palmer, the winner of the award. The two runners up were both also quarterbacks for the Pro Bowl that year.
The Colts started 9-0 and finished the season with a 12-4 record earning the third seed in the playoffs. Manning threw for 31 touchdowns, 4,397 yards, and led the NFL with a 101.0 quarterback rating. He threw 9 interceptions during the season. Manning is the second quarterback in league history (the other being Donovan McNabb) to throw 30 touchdowns and fewer than 10 interceptions in a single season.
Manning's Colts defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the playoffs on January 6 by the score of 23-8. On Saturday, January 13, 2007, the Colts won their Divisional Playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens by the score of 15-6. All of the Colts' points were scored by Adam Vinatieri, whose 5 field goals tied an NFL record. The Colts played the New England Patriots on Sunday, January 21, 2007 for the AFC Championship. The Colts (#3 seed) had home field advantage because of a regular season victory over the Patriots (tiebreaker rule). In the AFC Championship game, the Colts trailed 21-3 before coming back to defeat the Patriots for the title by a score of 38-34. In the fourth quarter, Manning led a 7-play, 80-yard touchdown drive to take the lead with 1:00 left in the game and finished with 349 yards, one passing touchdown, one rushing touchdown, and an interception. The 18-point comeback was the largest deficit ever overcome in a conference championship (NFL record). The win also marked the third straight Colts' victory over the Patriots.
On February 4, Manning led the Colts to a 29-17 victory over the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI (247 passing yards on 25 of 38 passes; 1 TD pass and 1 INT) and was voted the Super Bowl MVP. He finished the post-season with 1,034 yards, 3 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, a 63.3% completion percentage, and a 70.5 QB rating. [31] Manning, who had been criticized for failing to win big games, exorcised his big-game demons with the win. "In years' past when our team's come up short, it's been disappointing," he told reporters. "Somehow we found a way to have learned from some of those losses and we've been a better team because of it."[32] Following the Super Bowl win, Manning agreed to restructure his contract to save the Colts $8.2 million in salary cap space.[33]
Manning holds a number of individual career records:
During the 2004 season Manning broke several single season passing records, including:
Manning and Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison hold a number of QB-WR tandem records:
All statistics from Pro Football Reference
That guy's pretty good. If you like...six-five, 230-pound quarterbacks with a...laser rocket arm...
—Peyton Manning, in disguise, referring to himself in an advertisement for Sprint
D-Caf! (thump, thump) D-Caf! (thump, thump)
—Peyton Manning, acting like a zealous sports fan toward normal folks in a spot for Mastercard
Tommy, you're my favorite accountant! You're on my fantasy team!
—Peyton Manning, acting like a zealous sports fan toward normal folks in a spot for Mastercard
Manning has become the NFL's most marketable player,[57] appearing in several television and printed advertisements for some of the NFL's biggest sponsors. Manning is recognized as a pitchman for the following companies: Sprint, Sony, MasterCard, Gatorade, DirecTV, H.H. Gregg, and the American Red Cross. Manning also was the spokesman for Xbox's NFL Fever 2002, 2003 and 2004, and was featured on the cover of all three games.[58]
An ESPN This is SportsCenter ad from 2006 features the entire Manning family; parents Archie and Olivia, with their sons Peyton, Eli and Cooper, touring the SportCenter studios with Peyton and Eli engaging in horseplay behind everybody. At the end of the spot Archie becomes aware of their actions and gives them a cross look.
He was also featured in one of a series of DirecTV commercials where celebrities are seen in their element, then suddenly begin addressing the viewer. In his comercial they parodied his pre-snap audible routine and known delay in calling for the ball by having him pitch NFL Sunday Ticket instead of changing the play during a blowout game against the Tennessee Titans.
Manning also appears in advertisements for St. Mary's Medical Center in Knoxville, Tennessee (where he attended college and played college football). He has appeared in several television commercials for the hospital.
Manning also hosted Saturday Night Live with musical guest Carrie Underwood on March 24, 2007 - his 31st birthday. The episode earned the show’s highest household rating in more than 10 months in the metered markets, averaging a 5.9 rating and 15 share.[59] During his opening, he alluded to his most-marketable status by joking that he had accomplished two of his life goals: his team, the Colts, winning a Super Bowl and his appearance on over half of America's television commercials. During the closing credits, the cast presented him with a birthday cake.[60] He also starred in a couple of sketches, most notably a very lengthy faux United Way commercial where he drills children in the head and genitals with a football, teaches them how to break into cars, talks about killing snitches, and exiles one of them to a Port-o-let for failing to catch the ball, among other things. The tagline for the commercial was: "Spend time with your kids so Peyton Manning doesn't."
On May 27, 2007 Manning waved the green flag to begin the 91st Indianapolis 500[61]
