Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). A five-time league MVP, he played for the Indianapolis Colts for 14 seasons from 1998 to 2011. He is a son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning and an elder brother of New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning.
Manning played college football for the University of Tennessee, leading the Volunteers to the 1997 SEC Championship in his senior season. However, No. 3 Tennessee lost to the No. 2 Nebraska Cornhuskers 42-17 in the Orange Bowl giving Nebraska and Tom Osborne their 3rd national championship in 4 years. He was chosen by the Indianapolis Colts with the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft. Manning's playing career and statistics have ranked him among the greatest quarterbacks of all-time. From 1998 to 2010, he led the Colts to eight (seven AFC South and one AFC East) division championships, two AFC championships, and one Super Bowl championship (Super Bowl XLI). His five NFL MVPs are a league record, he was the most valuable player of Super Bowl XLI, has been named to thirteen Pro Bowls, has thirteen 4,000-yard passing seasons, and is the Indianapolis Colts' all-time leader in passing yards (54,828) and touchdown passes (399). In 2009, he was named the best player in the NFL, and Fox Sports, along with Sports Illustrated, named him the NFL player of the decade for the 2000s. Before the 2013 season had even finished SI had named him their Sportsman of the Year.
In May 2011, he underwent neck surgery to alleviate neck pain and arm weakness he dealt with during the previous few seasons before signing a five-year, $90 million contract extension with the Colts in July 2011. Manning had hoped to play in the 2011 season, but in September 2011 he underwent a second, and much more serious surgery: a level one cervical fusion procedure. Manning had never missed an NFL game in his career, but was forced to miss the entire 2011 season. He was released by the Colts on March 7, 2012, and after an almost two-week period where he visited with and worked out for several NFL teams, he signed with the Denver Broncos on March 20, 2012.
Manning's pre-snap routine has earned him the nickname "The Sheriff", and he is one of the most recognizable and parodied players in the NFL. Teams led by Manning more often than not use the hurry-up offense in place of the standard huddle.
High school career
Manning attended Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, Louisiana. He led his team to a 34–5 record during three seasons as starter. He was named Gatorade Circle of Champions National Player-of-the-Year and Columbus (Ohio) Touchdown Club National Offensive Player-of-the-Year in 1993.
College career
Manning was a four-year starter at the University of Tennessee, where he left college with 33 school records, eight Southeastern Conference marks and two NCAA standards... Ended his career with the most wins in SEC history (39-6), including a 26-4 mark as a starter in conference games... Ranked third in NCAA history with 11,201 passing yards and fourth in Division-I annals with 89 touchdowns... Named a consensus All-American and was the Heisman Trophy runner-up as a senior in 1997 after leading the Volunteers to an SEC Championship... Named MVP of the SEC Championship Game after completing 25-of-43 passes (58.1%) for 373 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions in a 30-29 win over Auburn University... Won the Maxwell Award for college football’s player of the year and the Davey O’Brien Award for the nation’s top quarterback... Named to the AFCA Good Works Team for community service... Led Tennessee to a 10-2 record and was the MVP of the Volunteers’ 48-28 Citrus Bowl win over Northwestern University... Went 11-1 as a sophomore, including a 20-14 Citrus Bowl win against Ohio State University... Named SEC Freshman of the Year in 1994 after starting 8-of-11 games.
As a freshman, Manning was the third-string quarterback, but injuries to Todd Helton and Jerry Colquitt forced him to take over the Mississippi State game, a 24–21 loss. In his first start, the following week against Washington State, the Vols won, 10–9, and the Vols won all but one of their remaining games, finishing the season 8–4 with a 45–23 victory over Virginia Tech in the Gator Bowl.
Manning and the Vols started off the 1995 season with victories over East Carolina and Georgia, before heading off to Gainesville to play the Gators. Against Florida, he threw for 326 yards and 2 touchdowns, leading the Vols to a 30–21 halftime lead. However, the Gators outscored the Vols 41–7 in the second half, winning 62–37. This was the Vols' only loss of the season, as they won their remaining 8 regular season games, including a 41–14 win over Alabama and then defeated Ohio State in the Citrus Bowl. The Vols ended the season ranked third and Manning came in sixth in Heisman Trophy voting.
The Vols opened the 1996 season ranked second behind Nebraska and one of the favorites to win the national championship. However, after winning their first 2 games against UNLV and UCLA, the Vols again lost to Florida 35–29, with Manning throwing 4 interceptions. After winning their next four games, the Vols were upset by Memphis, despite Manning passing for 296 yards. The Vols won the remainder of their games, including a 48–28 win in the Citrus Bowl over Northwestern, a game in which Manning passed for 408 yards and 4 touchdowns; he was named the game's MVP.
Manning completed his degree in three years, a B.A. in speech communication, 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, the Vols opened the season with victories against Texas Tech and UCLA, but for the third time in his career, Manning fell to Florida 33–20. The Vols won the rest of their regular season games, finishing 10–1, and advanced to the SEC Championship game against Auburn. Down 20–7, Manning led the Vols to a 30–29 victory. Throwing for 4 touchdowns, he was named the game's MVP, but injured himself in the process. The 3rd-ranked Vols were matched-up with second-ranked Nebraska in the Orange Bowl; if Tennessee won and top-ranked Michigan lost to Washington State in the Rose Bowl, the Vols would win the national championship. However, the Vols' defense could not stop Nebraska's rushing attack, giving up over 400 rushing yards in a 42–17 loss. As a senior, Manning won numerous awards; he was a consensus first-team All-American, the Maxwell Award winner, the Davey O'Brien Award winner, the Johnny Unitas Award winner, and the Best College Player ESPY award winner, among others; however, he did not win the Heisman, finishing runner-up to Charles Woodson. In 2005, Tennessee retired Manning's number (No. 16). One of the streets leading to Neyland Stadium has been renamed Peyton Manning Pass. Manning was elected to Phi Beta Kappa Society in 1997.
Professional career
Indianapolis Colts
1998 season: Rookie season
"To me, he's the greatest of all time. He's a friend of mine, and someone that I always watch and admire, because he always wants to improve, he always wants to get better, and he doesn't settle for anything less than the best. So, when you watch the best and you're able to learn from the best, hopefully that helps me get better."
—Tom Brady, on Peyton Manning.
Despite concerns about his arm strength and mobility, Manning was selected first overall in the 1998 draft by the Indianapolis Colts. Although many considered Ryan Leaf his rival for the first selection in the draft, and Leaf's quarterback rating was higher, all six experts Sports Illustrated consulted believed that Manning was superior. Five said that they would take him first in the draft; Sid Gillman said of Manning, "this is a pro quarterback". In his rookie season, he passed for 3,739 yards with 26 touchdowns, set five different NFL rookie records including most touchdown passes in a season, and was named to the NFL All-Rookie First Team. Manning's first win came against fellow rookie Leaf, 17–12 over the Chargers. Weeks later, Manning faced off against Steve Young; he threw three touchdowns, tying a Colts rookie record, but the 49ers kicked a late field goal to win 34–31. In November against the Jets, Manning threw for three touchdowns in a 24–23 win; he was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for this performance. It was the first game-winning drive of Manning's career, as he hit Marcus Pollard with the game-winning TD pass. Manning was certainly a bright spot in 1998 for the Colts, but he also threw a league high 28 interceptions as the team struggled to a 3–13 record with a defense that gave up more than 27 points per game. The Colts lost many close games, including five games in which they had led by double-digits at some point.
1999–2001
The Colts opened the 1999 season with a 31–14 victory over Buffalo, but gave up a 28–7 lead the following week against the Patriots and lost. After defeating San Diego 27–19 in a game in which Manning threw for over 400 yards, and was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week, they lost again, to Miami. The Colts responded by winning 11 of their remaining 12 games, finishing 13–3 and the AFC East champions. The 10 game turnaround from the previous year set an NFL record. As the second seed in the AFC, the Colts earned a first round bye, and faced Tennessee in the playoffs. The Colts lost 19–16 to the Super Bowl bound Titans and Manning was limited to one touchdown run. Manning finished the year with 4,135 passing yards and 26 passing touchdowns, and was named both Second-team All-Pro and to the Pro Bowl, both firsts for him. In the Pro Bowl, he passed for 270 yards with 2 touchdowns.
The Colts started the 2000 season inconsistently. Following an opening week victory against Kansas City, they blew a 21–0 lead against the Raiders. The Colts responded with a Monday Night victory against Jacksonville, a 43–14 win in which Manning threw for 430 yards and 4 touchdowns; Manning was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for this performance. The Colts won 4 of their next 5 games, including one against New England in which Manning posted the first perfect passer rating of his career, but then lost 4 of the 5 games following that. The Colts regained their momentum, winning their final 3 games, including a 31–10 win over Minnesota on Week 17. Manning threw for 4 touchdowns in the win and was again named AFC Offensive Player of the Week and the win gave the Colts a 10–6 record as well as a wild card spot in the playoffs. In the wild card game, the Colts fell to the Dolphins 23–17 in overtime. Manning passed for 194 yards and a touchdown in the loss. He finished the season with 4,413 passing yards and 33 passing touchdowns and was named Second-team All-Pro and to the Pro Bowl. At the Pro Bowl, Manning threw two touchdown passes.
Manning and the Colts introduced their now-signature no-huddle offense, and used it to great effect in a Week 1 rout of the Jets, 45–24. Two weeks later (Week 2 games were not played as scheduled due to the 9/11 attacks) the Colts advanced to 2–0 with a win over Buffalo, behind Manning's 421 yards passing. He was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for this game. However, the Colts lost the following week to New England, and continued their slide, losing their following two games. The Colts briefly rebounded, winning two games, but then lost 7 of their last 9, including a 40–21 home loss to the 49ers. After Manning threw a career-high four interceptions in that game, coach Jim Mora uttered his infamous "Playoffs? Don't talk about playoffs. Are you kidding me. Playoffs? I'm just hoping we can win a game, another game" press conference. Despite the 6–10 record, Manning finished the season with 4,131 passing yards, 26 passing touchdowns, and 4 rushing touchdowns as the offense produced the second most points in the league. However, the defense allowed the most points and Jim Mora was fired after the season.
2002 season
Tony Dungy would become Manning's second head coach in the NFL. The Colts started off the 2002 season 4–1, before a 3-game losing streak sent them to 4–4. The Colts responded by winning all but two of their remaining games, including a 35–13 upset of the Eagles in which Manning had a perfect passer rating for the second time in his career, giving them a 10–6 record and a spot in the playoffs. However, the Colts were pummeled by the Jets in the Wild Card game, 41–0, with Manning passing for only 137 yards. He finished the year with 4,200 passing yards and 27 passing touchdowns and was named to the Pro Bowl team. In the Pro Bowl, Manning completed five of eleven passes for 100 yards and a touchdown.
2003 season: First MVP
The 2003 Colts began the season 5–0, including a 55–21 blowout of the Saints in which Manning played his third perfect passer rating game and threw a career-high six TD passes, earning him AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. On Monday Night Football against the defending champion Buccaneers, Manning and the Colts trailed 35–14 in the final five minutes. After one short TD drive, the Colts recovered the onside kick. Manning threw a 28-yard TD pass to Marvin Harrison on 4th & 6 to make it 35–28. With 1:41 remaining, Manning got the ball back and drove the offense 85 yards for the game-tying TD. He set up the winning 29-yard field goal in overtime for a stunning 38–35 win. It was the only time in NFL history a team won a game after trailing by 21 points in the final 4 minutes of regulation. Manning passed for 386 yards in the game.
After an overtime loss to Carolina, the Colts won all but three of their remaining games, finishing 12–4. On November 30 the Colts hosted the 9–2 Patriots in what would be the beginning of the NFL's top rivalry of the 2000s. The Colts trailed 31–10 late in the third quarter before Manning threw three TD passes in a span of six minutes to tie the game. Trailing 38–34 in the final minutes, the Colts had 3 plays at the 1-yard line to try and score the winning TD. Edgerrin James was stuffed on 4th down by Willie McGinest and the Patriots won. In a Week 14 win against Atlanta, Manning threw for five touchdowns and was named player of the week a second time. He also earned AFC Offensive Player of the Month honors for the month of October.
In the Wild Card playoff round Manning and the Colts defeated the Denver Broncos 41–10, his first playoff win. He passed for 377 yards and 5 touchdowns in the game, earning him a perfect passer rating, his second of the season and the fourth of his career. After the game, Manning was awarded Player of the Week honors for the third time that season. In the divisional playoffs, Manning led the Colts to a 38–31 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Neither team punted in the game. In the AFC title game Manning was shut down by the New England Patriots top-ranked defense and posted the third lowest passer rating of his career at 35.5. The Patriots defense intercepted Manning four times and sacked him another four, as the Colts lost the game 24–14.
During the season, Manning was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Month for September and was named the AP NFL co-MVP along with Titans quarterback Steve McNair. Manning also received the ESPY Award for Best NFL Player. Manning led the league with 4,267 passing yards and threw 29 touchdowns; he was named first-team All-Pro and to the Pro Bowl. He passed for 342 yards and 3 touchdowns in the Pro Bowl, a 55–52 loss.
2004 season: Second MVP
The 2004 Colts opened the season with a 27–24 loss to the Patriots, after Mike Vanderjagt missed a game tying field goal in the closing seconds of the game. The Colts won their next four games including a 45–31 win over Green Bay in which Manning threw 5 touchdowns, earning him AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors, but then lost their next two games, to Jacksonville and Kansas City, despite Manning throwing for 840 yards combined in the two games. The Colts responded well, winning their next 8 games before losing their final regular season game to Denver, a game in which Manning played only the first series. During the month of November, Manning was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week twice; once for his 5 touchdown performance in a 49–14 blowout of Houston and once for his performance in a 41–9 win at Detroit on Thanksgiving in which he threw 6 touchdowns in less than three quarters. Due to his performances in November, Manning earned AFC Offensive Player of the Month honors. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for a fourth time in the week 16 game against San Diego where he led the Colts to a 34–31 victory after trailing by fifteen in the fourth quarter. With the Colts facing a 4th & 4 at their own 26, Manning waved the punt team off the field and completed a 19-yard pass to Reggie Wayne for the first down. He finished the drive with a 21-yard TD pass to Brandon Stokley, his 49th TD pass of the season, breaking Dan Marino's record of 48. After the two-point conversion to tie, Manning got the ball first in overtime and set up the winning field goal. The Colts clinched the AFC's third seed with the win.
During the season, Manning threw for 4,557 yards, had a then record 121.1 passer rating and a then-record 49 touchdown passes while throwing only 10 interceptions. Manning's 2004 season was voted the second greatest passing season of all time by ESPN in 2013. He achieved this despite the 2004 season being his only season of his career where he attempted less than 500 passes. His 9.9% touchdown passing percentage is currently the highest in NFL history. His 49 touchdown passes is currently the third highest ever and his 121.1 passer rating is the second highest ever. He was selected as the 2004 NFL MVP drawing 49 of 50 votes, was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year and was named the Best NFL Player at the ESPY Awards for the second consecutive year; Manning also received the ESPY Award for Best Record-Breaking Performance for his 49 touchdown passes. The Colts finished the season with a 12–4 record and their second straight AFC South title. The Colts scored a franchise record 522 points. Three Colts receivers had 1,000 yard seasons with at least 10 touchdowns that season, also a record. Sports statistics site Football Outsiders calculates that Manning had the best season ever by a quarterback, play-for-play, in 2004.
In the Wild Card game against Denver, Manning passed for 458 yards and 4 touchdowns. However, the Colts' 2004 season ended in Foxborough for a second straight year with a 20–3 loss against New England, when Manning recorded a season-low passer rating of 69.3. It was Manning's seventh consecutive loss to the Patriots in Foxborough and the Colts' three points were their lowest single game point total since their opening game of the 2003 season. Manning was named a Pro Bowl starter; in the Pro Bowl, he threw 3 touchdowns in a 38–27 victory and was named the game's MVP. Manning was also a unanimous first-team All-Pro selection.
2005 season
In 2005, the Colts had a greatly improved defense over that of recent years. Combining this with their offense, they won their first 13 games, including a 40–21 rout of the two-time defending Super Bowl Champions, New England. This was Manning's first road win against the Patriots in 8 attempts, and his 3 touchdowns passes earned him AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. By week 15, the Colts had a perfect 13–0 record, and had secured the AFC South and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Nevertheless, Tony Dungy made the decision to play all of his regular starters against the Chargers. However, the Colts played a sub-par game against the Chargers and fell short of the win; the score was 26–17. 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 because Manning sat out much of the final two games with the top AFC seed clinched. His quarterback rating of 104.1 was the highest in the league for the season.
In the playoffs, the Pittsburgh Steelers visited the RCA Dome for the second AFC divisional playoff game of the 2005 season. 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). 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 next play, the ball was fumbled by Jerome Bettis and 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, Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger managed to dive in front of Harper and tackle him by the leg, saving a touchdown. Then the Colts drove down the field to the Steelers 27-yard line, before Mike Vanderjagt missed a field goal as time ran out.
Manning came in second in voting for the MVP award to Shaun Alexander 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 FedEx Air Player of the Year Award, along with Tom Brady and Carson Palmer. Manning was also named first-team All-Pro for the third consecutive year and named to the Pro Bowl squad; in the Pro Bowl, he threw one touchdown pass and three interceptions.
2006 season: Super Bowl championship
Manning opened the 2006 season against his brother Eli's New York Giants on Sunday Night Football (the first "Manning Bowl"). It was the first NFL game with starting quarterbacks that were brothers, and Peyton's team won 26–21. Manning passed for 400 yards against the Texans in a 43–24 victory, which earned him AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors (he also won the award for his 345 yards and 4 TD passes against the Redskins in week 7). A second trip to New York, this time to play the Jets, produced another Colts win. After taking the lead twice in the fourth quarter, Manning had to lead a third scoring drive, this time finishing with a 1-yard QB sneak rushing TD in the last minute for a 31–28 win.
At Denver, Manning again led three scoring drives in the fourth quarter in a 34–31 shootout win. He completed 32 of 39 passes for 345 yards and 3 TDs. Following a second straight season with a win at New England, then a home win against Buffalo, the Colts were the NFL's last unbeaten team at 9–0. Their first loss would come in Dallas. Plagued by a run defense that would allow over 100 yards in every game, the Colts were 11–4 heading into their final game. Against Miami, Manning threw for 282 yards, 2 TDs and rushed for another TD. The Colts won 27–22, were AFC South division champions, and clinched the third seed in the AFC playoffs. Manning was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week. He ended the regular season with 4,397 passing yards and a league-leading 31 touchdown passes. His passer rating (101.0) was the highest in the league for the third year in a row. Manning helped the offense set a NFL record for third down conversion rate in a season (56.1%).
Despite three interceptions, Manning completed 30 out of 38 passes as the Colts beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card playoff game by a score of 23–8. The following week they were limited to five field goals and no touchdowns, but defeated the Baltimore Ravens, 15–6. In the AFC Championship game against the rival Patriots, the Colts trailed 14–3 when Manning threw an interception that was returned for a TD by Asante Samuel to give New England a 21–3 lead. Manning led the Colts to 32 points in the second half for a 38–34 victory, the final score coming late in the fourth quarter as Manning led the Colts on an 80-yard TD drive to take the lead for the first time in the game. He finished the game with 349 yards passing and two touchdowns (1 rushing). The comeback was the largest deficit ever overcome in a conference championship.
Completing 25 of 38 passes for 247 yards with a touchdown and one interception, Manning led the Colts to a 29–17 victory over the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI and was voted Super Bowl MVP. 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." For his role in the Colts' championship run, Manning was awarded the ESPY for Best Championship Performance. Manning was again named to the Pro Bowl and was also named Second-team All-Pro; in the Pro Bowl he played only two series, passing for 67 yards. Following the Super Bowl win, Manning agreed to restructure his contract to save the Colts $8.2 million in salary cap space.
2007–2008
Manning's Colts opened the NFL season with 7 wins, pitting them against an undefeated Patriots squad in a match-up that was being called "Super Bowl 41.5". Manning and Addai helped the Colts to a 13–7 halftime lead, and an early fourth-quarter touchdown upped the lead to 20–10. However, Brady led the Patriots to two late touchdowns, to hand Manning his first loss of the season, 24–20. Manning finished the game with 225 yards passing, including a passing touchdown. He also had a rushing touchdown.
Manning did not bounce back from the loss well. Against the San Diego Chargers he threw for a career-worst and franchise-record 6 interceptions. Despite this, he was able to rally the Colts from a 23–0 deficit to 23–21, and gave Adam Vinatieri an opportunity to take the lead with a 29-yard field goal. Vinatieri's miss sunk the Colts to 7–2. Manning did not play particularly well against the Kansas City Chiefs either, throwing no touchdowns. However, he managed to lead the Colts on a late drive for a game-winning field goal, rushing for two yards on 4th and 1 in the process. Manning finished the game with 163 passing yards, allowing him to overtake 40,000 in his career. The victory was Manning's 100th. The Colts won their next 5 games, securing yet another AFC South title, as well as the AFC's number two seed in the play-offs. In the final game of the regular season, Manning played only two series before being replaced with back-up Jim Sorgi; the Colts lost the game to the Titans, 16–10. Manning finished the season with 4,040 passing yards, 31 touchdown passes, and a quarterback rating of 98.0. In the divisional round of the playoffs, Manning and the Colts lost to the Chargers, 28–24. Manning helped the Colts to 4 different leads but could not lead a final touchdown drive for the win. Manning finished the game with 402 yards passing and 3 passing touchdowns. Peyton was widely viewed during Super Bowl XLII as he cheered on brother Eli and the New York Giants in their upset of the New England Patriots. Manning was named a Pro Bowl starter and passed for 147 yards and a touchdown in three series.
On July 14, 2008, Manning had surgery to remove an infected bursa sac in his left knee. Manning, who had worn a knee brace due to problems since he was in college, sat out all four preseason games and missed most of training camp.
In the first regular season game at new Lucas Oil Stadium, the Colts lost 29–13 to the Chicago Bears. The following week they fell behind 15–0 to the Minnesota Vikings in the second half before rallying to win the game on Adam Vinatieri's 47-yard field goal. Manning passed for 311 yards as the Colts avoided their first 0–2 start since Manning's rookie season. Week 3 matched the Colts with division rival Jacksonville. Manning threw 2 interceptions in the game, including one that was returned for a TD by Rashean Mathis. Jacksonville rushed for 236 yards and held the ball for over 41 minutes. Still, trailing by 6 late in the game Manning led the Colts on a 77-yard TD drive to take a 21–20 lead. Jacksonville kicker Josh Scobee made a 51-yard field goal to win the game and drop the Colts to 1–2.
For the third week in a row, Manning used the 4th quarter to bring the Colts back from a 27–10 deficit in the last 5 minutes against the Houston Texans to a 31–27 victory. It was the first time an NFL team had won a game in regulation after trailing by 17 points in the last 5 minutes. Manning threw a 7-yard TD pass on 4th & 6 to rookie tight end Tom Santi to make the deficit 27–17. Houston QB Sage Rosenfels, starting for the injured Matt Schaub, then fumbled the ball on a scramble, and it was returned 68 yards for a TD by Gary Brackett. After another Rosenfels fumble, Manning threw the 5-yard game-winning TD pass to Reggie Wayne. The Colts scored 3 TDs in 2:10.
On October 12 Manning led the Colts to a 31–3 blow out win at Lucas Oil Stadium against the Baltimore Ravens to avoid their first 0–3 start at home since 1997. Manning was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the 17th time in his career for his effort of 3 TD passes and 271 yards passing. It was revealed during the game by CBS commentators Jim Nantz and Phil Simms that Manning had a second surgery on his knee before the season started. Colts coach Tony Dungy confirmed this report the day after the Baltimore game.
The Colts suffered their largest margin of defeat, 34–14, in Green Bay the following week. Manning threw 2 interceptions that were returned for touchdowns (second time in career; 1st was 9/30/01 vs. New England Patriots). The next week the Colts went into Tennessee on Monday Night Football to face the 6–0 Titans. They led 14–6 in the 3rd quarter, but Tennessee scored 25 unanswered for a 31–21 victory and almost assured the Colts they would not win the AFC South division title for the first time in 6 seasons. At 3–4 the Colts opened up November with their annual showdown against the New England Patriots on Sunday Night Football. The game lacked the luster the rivalry has carried, as there was no Tom Brady, no undefeated season on the line, and neither team was in 1st place of their division. Still, the game was close all the way. Tied at 15 in the 4th quarter, Manning set up Adam Vinatieri for a 52-yard field goal that proved to be the winning points in an 18–15 victory. Manning completed 21 of 29 passes for 254 yards, 2 touchdowns and no interceptions. The Colts were 4–4 halfway through the season and still alive in the AFC playoff race.
In week 10 the Colts traveled to Pittsburgh, who had the league's No. 1 defense. They trailed 17–7 in the second quarter before Manning found Dallas Clark for a 2-yard TD to end the half 17–14. Down 20–17 in the 4th quarter, Manning found Dominic Rhodes uncovered for a 17-yard TD pass that would put the Colts up 24–20 for the rest of the game. It was Manning's 4th game-winning drive (35th of his career) this season. He completed 21 of 40 for 240 yards and 3 touchdowns (the 50th game of his career with 3+ TD passes). It was the first time the Colts have won in Pittsburgh since 1968 (12 straight losses before this win). Against Houston, Manning passed for 320 yards and 2 TDs while leading 5 consecutive scoring drives in a 33–27 victory, the third in a row for the Colts. Manning won AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season (18th time, career)
At San Diego, Manning threw for 255 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT in a 23–20 victory. The interception snapped a career-best streak of 140 pass attempts without an interception. After the Chargers rallied from a 10-point deficit in the 4th to tie the game, Manning led the game-winning drive by completing a 14-yard pass to Marvin Harrison on 4th and inches at midfield. Adam Vinateri kicked the winning 51-yard field goal three plays later. It was Manning's 5th game-winning drive this season. Manning passed for a season-low 125 yards at Cleveland, but the Colts won their 5th straight game, by a final of 10–6.
In a 35–3 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals, Manning threw 3 TD passes while completing 26 of 32 passes for 277 yards. It marked the 11th straight season Manning had thrown at least 20 TD passes, the second longest streak ever. Against the 0–13 Detroit Lions, the Colts found themselves in a 21–21 game in the 4th quarter. Manning led his 6th game-winning drive of the season and the Colts pulled away 31–21. It marked their 7th straight win, 7th straight season with 10+ wins, and they became the only team in NFL history to have a winning streak of at least 7 games in 5 straight seasons. Manning completed 28 of 37 passes for 318 yards and 1 TD.
Needing a win to clinch the 5th seed in the playoffs, Manning had one of his best career performances in Jacksonville on Thursday Night Football. He completed his first 17 passes of the game. In addition to completing his last 6 against Detroit, Manning's 23 straight completions fell one shy of the NFL record (Donovan McNabb – 24). The Colts trailed 14–0 in the first half and 24–14 to start the 4th quarter. Manning led his 7th 4th quarter win of the season and the Colts put the game away with a defensive TD for a 31–24 victory to clinch a 7th consecutive playoff berth. Manning completed 29 of 34 passes (85.7%) for 364 yards and 3 TDs. It increased his NFL record streak of seasons with 25 TD passes to 11. Manning and the Colts tied a NFL record by winning 3 games in a season in which they trailed by at least 14 points. For his efforts Manning won AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the third time in 2008. It was the 19th time he has won the award, passing Dan Marino for the most all-time since the award was originated in 1984. He also was selected as the FedEx Air Player of the Week. With the playoff seed secured, Manning only played the opening drive in a shutout against the division-leading Titans in Week 17. He completed all 7 of his passes for 95 yards and a TD, extending his NFL record to nine seasons with 4000 yards passing, and also extended the record to a sixth straight season he led the Colts to at least 12 wins. At the end of the 2008 season, Manning was named NFL MVP for the 3rd time, tying Brett Favre for the most MVP awards in NFL history.
The day following the MVP award, the Colts played their 2007 nemesis, the Chargers, in their wild-card playoff game. Down 14–10 at the half, Manning put the Colts ahead 17–14 in the third quarter as he completed a 72-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Reggie Wayne. But the Chargers tied the game in the fourth quarter as kicker Nate Kaeding nailed a 22-yard field goal. When San Diego won the coin toss, they scored on the first possession, ending the Colts season.
2009 season: Fourth MVP and second Super Bowl appearance
Under new head coach Jim Caldwell, Manning started the 2009 season with a victory by throwing for 301 yards. In week two Manning led his 29th fourth quarter comeback (38th game-winning drive) by throwing for 303 yards and 2 TD passes, despite only having the ball for 14:53, the lowest time of possession for a winning team in the NFL since they began tracking the statistic in 1977. Manning was named AFC Offensive Player of the Month for the fourth time in his career in September. Against the Seattle Seahawks Manning passed for 353 yards and 2 TDs for his fourth consecutive 300-yard passing game set a new franchise record.
Against Houston Texans in week 9 he became the first quarterback to pass for over 40,000 yards in a decade. He threw a career-high 25 passes in the 1st quarter (most in any opening quarter since 1991), and had a career-high 40 pass attempts in the first half. He set a franchise record for most 300-yard passing games in a season with his seventh 300-yard effort of the season (also a NFL record through the first 8 games of a season ). Against Houston 3 weeks later Manning claimed his 34th comeback win in the 4th quarter, tying him with John Elway and Johnny Unitas for the second most in NFL history. On week 15 against the Jacksonville Jaguars Manning won his 23rd consecutive regular season game breaking Jim McMahon's NFL record of 22 straight wins with the Chicago Bears from 1984–87. At the end of the regular season Manning was awarded his fourth MVP, breaking the NFL record for most MVPs by a single player. He was also selected to the AP All-Pro team for the fifth time in his career.
In the AFC Divisional against the Baltimore Ravens Manning threw 2 TD passes late in the first half to build a 17–3 halftime lead. He completed 30 passes for 246 yards in leading his eight straight victory over the Ravens. In the AFC Championship against New York Jets Manning overcame a 17–6 deficit late in the second quarter to lead the Colts to 24 unanswered points in a 30–17 win. The 11-point comeback was the third largest in a championship game. Manning set a playoff record with his seventh 300-yard passing game in the postseason. In Super Bowl XLIV against New Orleans Saints, Manning led the Colts to a 10–0 lead after their two first quarter drives, throwing a TD pass to Pierre Garcon to cap off a 96-yard drive (tied for longest in Super Bowl history). After running just six plays in the second quarter, the Colts led 10–6 at halftime. The Saints recovered an onside kick to start the second half and took their first lead, 13–10. Manning led a go ahead TD drive to regain the lead. Leading 17–16 at the start of the 4th quarter, Matt Stover missed a 51-yard field goal for the Colts. The Saints scored the go ahead TD and two-point conversion to take a 24–17 lead with 5:42 left. Manning took over and moved the Colts to the Saints' 31-yard line. Facing a 3rd & 5 with 3:24 left, his pass intended for Reggie Wayne was intercepted by Tracy Porter, who returned it 74 yards for a critical TD and 31–17 Saints lead. Manning drove the Colts down to the 5-yard line in the last minute, but his 4th & goal pass was dropped by Reggie Wayne at the goal line. The Saints won their first Super Bowl, dropping Manning to 9–9 in the postseason (1–1 Super Bowl record). Manning passed for 333 yards on 31/45, with 1 TD and 1 interception.
2010 season
In a season-opening loss in Houston, Manning set career highs in pass attempts (57) and completions (40), throwing for 3 TDs and 433 yards, the fourth highest opening-weekend total ever. In his third game Manning passed for 325 yards, 3 TDs and no interceptions, marking the first time since 1960 a QB began a season with three consecutive games of at least 3 TD passes and zero interceptions. Against the Kansas City Chiefs Manning failed to throw a TD for the first time in 2010, but led the Colts on a game-winning drive in the 4th quarter (45th of his career) to hand the Chiefs their first loss of the season. In week 6 against the Washington Redskins he passed for 307 yards and 2 TDs. Including the playoffs, that was 68 career games with 300+ yards passing, moving him ahead of Dan Marino (67) for the most in NFL history. Week 9 against the Philadelphia Eagles marked his 200th consecutive regular season start.
Against the New England Patriots Manning passed for 396 yards, 4 TDs and 3 interceptions, the 2second time Manning threw 4 TDs in a game and breaking a tie with Dan Marino for second-most all-time. The next week was resulted in the largest margin of defeat at home in his NFL career, 36–14 to the San Diego Chargers. Against the Tennessee Titans he went over 4000 yards passing for the 11th time in a season, and tied Dan Marino with his 63rd regular season game with 300+ yards passing. Manning was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for this game. The Colts ended up winning the AFC South for the seventh time in eight years, and Manning became the first QB in NFL history to lead his team to nine consecutive postseason berths (2002–2010). It was the 208th consecutive regular season start of his career, breaking Gene Upshaw's record. For the season, Manning finished with a NFL record 450 completions on 679 attempts (second most in history), and a career-high 4700 yards passing. The season ended in a one point defeat to the New York Jets in the play-off.
In 2010, he was chosen as the 14th-smartest athlete in sports by Sporting News.
2011 season
The Colts placed their franchise tag on Manning on February 15, 2011. On July 30, 2011, the Colts signed Manning to a 5 year, $90 million contract after negotiations in which he made it clear that he did not need to be the highest-paid player in the NFL.
After a May 23 neck surgery, Manning could not use the Colts' facilities for practice and workouts due to the NFL lockout. Reluctant to have witnesses to his recovery, he used the Colorado Rockies baseball team's trainers at Coors Field in Denver. Manning was unable to complete his throwing motion, and his arm strength had significantly diminished. Based on an MRI, doctors told him in the late summer that he needed spinal fusion surgery and that at his age they could not guarantee his return to the NFL. On September 7 the Colts officially ruled Manning out for the season opener against Houston, ending his consecutive starts streak of 208 games (227 including playoffs); the team signed Kerry Collins out of retirement and named him interim starting quarterback. After seeking other opinions, Manning had the second surgery on September 8.
Manning stated that while he did intend to play during the 2011 season, he would not "fight" the front office to stay off injured reserve if his roster spot was needed. Manning started practicing throwing footballs again in mid-December, with teammate Joseph Addai even claiming his passes looked "game ready." Ultimately, Manning did not play a single game in 2011, and the Colts went 2–14 without him, only the second season since Manning was a rookie that the Colts did not win at least 10 games.[citation needed]
Manning was released by the Colts on March 7, 2012. Upon his release, Colts owner Jim Irsay announced that no Colt will ever wear the No. 18 jersey again.
Denver Broncos
Manning reached an agreement with the Broncos on a five-year contract worth $96 million on March 20, 2012. Although No. 18 is retired in honor of Frank Tripucka, he gave Manning permission to wear it.
2012 season
On Thursday, August 9, 2012 Manning made his first appearance as a Bronco in a preseason game against the Chicago Bears, where he completed 4 of 7 passes for 44 yards, and was intercepted once by Bears safety Major Wright.
Manning made his regular season debut as a Denver Bronco in the prime time game on the first Sunday of the 2012 NFL Season, against the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the game, Manning completed 19 of 26 passes for 253 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no interceptions. He posted a 129.2 QB rating in the 31–19 win, and made history in the third quarter when he connected with Demaryius Thomas on a 71-yard touchdown pass. The touchdown was Manning's first in the NFL with a team other than the Colts, and marked the 400th of his career, making him the third quarterback, after Dan Marino and Brett Favre, to accomplish the feat and the fastest of the three to reach that mark. Despite the preseason concerns about his recovery, by late October ESPN stated that Manning "has silenced the critics" about his arm strength. Manning was later named to the 2013 Pro Bowl, his twelfth. On February 2, 2013, Manning was awarded the AP National Football League Comeback Player of the Year Award and was named a first-team All-Pro selection, in addition to finishing second in MVP voting. The Broncos made the playoffs, but lost 38–35 in double overtime to Baltimore, who went on to win Super Bowl XLVII that season.
2013 season: Fifth MVP
Manning earned his 13th Pro Bowl selection after setting NFL single-season records in touchdown passes (55) and passing yards (5,477), while tying for the second-most completions (450) in a single season. Started all 16 games and finished the season completing 450-of-659 passes (68.3 pct.) for 5,477 yards, 55 touchdowns, 10 interceptions for a passer rating of 115.1... Tied and NFL record with seven touchdown passes, becoming just the second player in league history to throw seven touchdown pass with zero interceptions in a game in Denver’s season-opening win vs. Bal. (9/5)... Completed 27-of-42 passes for 462 yards with the yardage total representing the second highest of his career and tying for the third highest single-game total in Broncos history... Threw for 307 yards with two touchdowns with zero interceptions at NYG (9/15) to become the first player in NFL history to throw for nine touchdowns without an interception in the first two games of a season... Set an NFL record with 12 touchdown passes through three games after tossing three scores on Monday Night Football vs. Oak. (9/23), while setting a career-high and Broncos franchise record with a .865 completion percentage (32-of-37 passing)... Turned in his 24th career four-touchdown game to set a new league record, while finishing 28-of-34 for 327 yards with a 146.0 rating vs. Phi. (9/29)... Passed Dan Marino for second place on the NFL’s all-time psasing yardage list after passing for 414 yards and four touchdowns at Dal. (10/6)... Passed Marino for second place on the NFL’s career leaderboard for games with a touchdown pass (204) after completing 28-of-42 passes for 295 yards with a pair of touchdowns vs. Jac. (10/13)... Completed 29-of-49 passes for 386 yards with three touchdowns and one interception in his first career game at Ind. (10/20)... Engineered his 50th career game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime, extending his NFL record in that category vs. Was. (10/27)... Threw for 330 yards and four touchdowns at S.D. (11/10) to continue his historic pace with the most passing yards through nine games and tying for most touchdown passes through nine games... Threw his 71st touchdown pass as a Bronco, tying for third place all-time vs. K.C. (11/17)... Broke his own Broncos single-season touchdown record after throwing for 403 yards with five touchdowns at K.C. (12/1) to increase his season total to 41 touchdown passes... Set a franchise record with 39 completions and established a career high while tying the Broncos’ all-time single-game record with 59 attempts, finishing with 397 yards and four touchdowns to become the first player in at least 15 years to throw for at least four touchdowns with zero interceptions in a game with a temperature below 20 degrees vs. Ten. (12/8)... Moved into fourth place on the NFL’s single-season passing touchdown list with a pair of touchdown passes vs. S.D. (12/12), bringing his season total to 47... Threw for 400 yards and four touchdowns to set a new NFL single-season passing touchdown mark at Hou. (12/22)... Broke the NFL’s single-season passing yardage record after completing 25-of-28 passes for 266 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions for a 145.8 QB rating with that 89.3 completion percentage marking the second-highest figure for a single game in NFL history among players who attempted as many passes as he did at Oak. (12/29)... Completed 25-of-36 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns with one interception in Denver's Divisional Round win vs. S.D. (1/12)... Joined Craig Morton and Kurt Warner as the only quarterbacks in pro football history to lead two teams to the Super Bowl after completing 32-of-43 passes for 400 yards and two touchdowns in the AFC Championship Game vs. N.E. (1/19)... Set a Super Bowl record with a career postseason-best 34 completions in Super Bowl XLVIII vs. Sea. (2/2).
Manning in popular culture
"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
Manning has been credited with helping to improve the image of the city of Indianapolis. A curator at the Indiana State Museum observed that "There is no Super Bowl held here without Peyton. There is no Lucas Oil Stadium without Peyton. Without Peyton, the Colts would probably be in L.A. right now." He has become the NFL's most marketable player, appearing in several television and printed advertisements for some of the NFL's biggest sponsors.
Manning made an appearance on Saturday Night Live's sports extra in 2008 in which he was in a children's football scene, and a high school basketball scene. 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 SportsCenter studios with Peyton and Eli engaging in horseplay behind everybody.
He appeared in one of a series of DirecTV commercials where celebrities are seen in their element, then suddenly begin addressing the viewer. In his commercial 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.
Manning 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. 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. He has also won the Favorite Male Athlete award for the Kids Choice Awards. On May 27, 2007 Manning waved the green flag to begin the 91st Indianapolis 500.
In 2009, Manning guest-voiced (with his brothers, Eli and Cooper) on an episode of The Simpsons called "O Brother, Where Bart Thou?" in which Bart dreams of having a baby brother and sees such famous brothers as The Marx Brothers, The Blues Brothers, The Wright Brothers, The Mario Brothers, and The Manning Brothers.
In a 2012 interview, Star Wars novelist Drew Karpyshyn named Manning the NFL personality most likely to become a Jedi Knight. "The guy always seems calm, cool and collected. He follows the Jedi mantra of "there is no emotion, only peace". But he's still an incredible player – when he's on the field the Broncos are a contender. When he's not… well, we saw what happened last year. Obviously he must be using the Force to get it done, right?"
Charitable works
Shortly after beginning his NFL career, Manning started his own charity, the Peyback Foundation. The Peyback Foundation's mission is to help disadvantaged kids, and focuses its efforts in Louisiana, Tennessee, and Indiana. For his work with this foundation, Manning received the Samuel S. Beard Award for Greatest Public Service by an Individual 35 Years or Under, an award given out annually by Jefferson Awards.
Manning, along with his brother Eli, volunteered their assistance in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Among the tasks performed, the Mannings assisted in the delivery of 30,000 pounds of water, Gatorade, baby formula, diapers, and pillows to the people of New Orleans.
On September, 2007, St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis renamed its children's hospital to "Peyton Manning Children's Hospital at St. Vincent." Manning and his wife made a donation of an undisclosed amount to St. Vincent's and have had a relationship with the hospital since his arrival in Indianapolis.
The Manning Bowl
As of 2013, Peyton and Eli Manning's teams have played against each other three times in their professional careers. These encounters have been colloquially dubbed "The Manning Bowl", and as of 2013, Peyton's teams (twice with the Indianapolis Colts; once with the Denver Broncos) hold a 3-0 record over Eli's team (three games with the New York Giants). The first Manning Bowl was held on September 10, 2006, and Peyton's Colts defeated Eli's Giants by a score of 26–21. The second Manning Bowl, was held on September 19, 2010; Peyton and the Colts bested Eli's team again by a score of 38–14. The third Manning Bowl took place on September 15, 2013, and Peyton and the Broncos beat Eli's Giants, 41-23.
Personal life
Manning was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, the son of Olivia (née Williams) and NFL quarterback Elisha Archibald "Archie" Manning III, both Mississippi natives.
Peyton married his wife Ashley in Memphis on St. Patrick's Day, 2001. A graduate of the University of Virginia, Ashley was introduced to him by her parents' next-door neighbor the summer before Manning's freshman year in college. Peyton and wife Ashley have twins, a boy and a girl.
Manning is a Christian. At age 13, Manning said, "I committed my life to Christ, and that faith has been most important to me ever since." Manning said his priorities ranked in order are "...faith, family, friends, and football." Manning said he prays every night and before games and also said, "I hope (and pray) I don’t do too many things that displease Him before I get to Heaven myself. I believe, too, that life is much better and freer when you’re committed to God in that way."
Manning reportedly has an excellent memory for plays. He memorized the Colts' playbook within a week after being drafted, and in 2012 was able to precisely recall the details and timing of a specific play he had used at Tennessee 16 years earlier. During the summer, Archie, Peyton, Eli, and eldest sibling Cooper run the Manning Passing Academy, a five-day camp which aims to improve the offensive skills of quarterbacks, wide receivers, tight ends, and running backs. In addition to the Mannings, the camp has included many prominent players from football as coaches, such as Colts wide receivers Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne.
Peyton, along with Archie, authored a book entitled Manning: A Father, His Sons, and a Football Legacy, which was released in 2000. The book covers Archie's and Cooper's lives and careers, and Peyton's life and career up to the time that the book was released, and examines football from both Archie's and Peyton's points-of-view.
In 2009, Peyton, Eli, and Archie co-authored a children's book entitled Family Huddle, which describes in simple text and pictures how the three Manning brothers played football as young boys (Scholastic Press; illustrations by Jim Madsen).
Manning has donated over $8,000 to Republican politicians, among them Fred Thompson, Bob Corker, and former President George W. Bush.
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