College Spotlight: Peyton Manning's Career at Tennessee
By Evan Chronis | March 16, 2021 | Pro Football Hall of Fame
In honor of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2021, we’re looking back at the collegiate careers that set the foundation for these Hall of Famers.
First is Peyton Manning, who proved he was more than just a legend’s son by gaining national fame during his four seasons at the University of Tennessee.
Manning chose to play at the University of Tennessee, which caused a stir as many expected him to follow in his father's footsteps at Ole Miss.
Manning joined the Volunteers before the 1994 season and was third on the quarterback depth chart as a freshman. It took four weeks for everything to change. Through injuries to both starters ahead of him, Manning became the Volunteers’ starting quarterback four games into the season. He remained the starter for the rest of his collegiate career.
In his sophomore season, Manning saw a drastic improvement in performance, throwing for 2,954 passing yards and 22 touchdowns. He finished sixth in Heisman Trophy voting and Tennessee finished the season as the nation's third-ranked team.
Manning took another leap in his junior year, building on the momentum that manifests with multiple seasons behind center. He finished the campaign with 3,287 passing yards and 20 touchdowns, this time finishing eighth in Heisman voting even with the improved yardage. Tennessee ended the season with a 10-2 record.
After three seasons, Manning was projected as the top pick in the 1997 NFL Draft, but he opted to return for his senior season.
The extra season did nothing to hurt Manning’s draft stock. He achieved a career-high 3,819 passing yards, 36 touchdowns and earned Tennessee an Orange Bowl matchup with Nebraska with National Championship implications. The Volunteers failed to defeat the Cornhuskers, but Manning still got the most out of his four years in Knoxville.
He earned several honors in his final season, most notably the Maxwell Award which is presented to the nation’s top player. Manning fell short of the Heisman Trophy one final time as the runner-up to fellow Class of 2021 member Charles Woodson.
1998 NFL Draft
The Indianapolis Colts selected Manning with the No.1 overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft, placing Manning in the
Manning would play for the Colts franchise for 14 years.
Peyton Manning’s College Accolades
1997 Campbell Trophy Winner
1997 Maxwell Trophy Winner
1997 Consensus All-American
1997 SEC Player of the Year
1997 Davey O’Brien Award Winner
No.16 Retired at Tennessee
Tennessee Volunteers in Pro Football Hall of Fame
Doug Atkins — Class of 1982
Reggie White — Class of 2006
Peyton Manning — Class of 2021
Attend Manning’s Hall of Fame Enshrinement
Peyton Manning enters the Pro Football Hall of Fame this August and you can be there with an Official Ticket Package. Get Enshrinement Ceremony tickets, exclusive access to weekend events and much more with HOF Experiences.
