Peyton Manning is widely regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. The NFL’s only five-time Most Valuable Player and a 14-time Pro Bowl selection, Manning was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a first-ballot member of the Class of 2021.
Selected first overall by the Indianapolis Colts in the 1998 NFL Draft, Manning retired in 2016 as the league’s all-time leader in touchdown passes, completions, and passing yards. A seven-time Associated Press First-Team All-Pro, he led the Colts to victory in Super Bowl XLI, earning MVP honors, and later guided the Denver Broncos to a win in Super Bowl 50, becoming the first starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl with two different franchises. He was named Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year in 2013 and earned NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors following his return from a neck injury in 2012.
During 14 seasons with Indianapolis, Manning set franchise records across virtually every passing category and led the Colts to their first championship in 36 years. The Colts retired his No. 18 jersey in 2017. He was also named to the NFL 100 All-Time Team in 2020.
At the University of Tennessee, Manning embodied the ideal student-athlete, setting 43 school, conference, and national records while graduating with Phi Beta Kappa honors. He led the Volunteers to an SEC Championship in 1997, earned consensus All-America recognition, and received the Sullivan Award as the nation’s top amateur athlete. Tennessee retired his No. 16 jersey in 2005, and he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017. He was also named to ESPN’s College Football 150 list and established the Peyton Manning Scholarship, which annually supports incoming Tennessee students.
A New Orleans native, Manning starred at Isidore Newman School and earned national high school player of the year honors. He has since been inducted into the Louisiana, Tennessee, and Colorado Sports Halls of Fame and was named the greatest athlete from Louisiana by The Times-Picayune.
Off the field, Manning has been recognized extensively for his philanthropy, receiving honors including the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, the Byron “Whizzer” White Humanitarian Award, the Bart Starr Award, and the Lincoln Medal. He serves on the advisory board of The Pat Summitt Foundation, supports the American Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet, and champions the Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at St. Vincent.
In 1999, Peyton and his wife, Ashley, established the PeyBack Foundation to support disadvantaged youth through leadership and educational opportunities. The foundation has distributed millions of dollars in grants and scholarships, including support for HBCU students in Tennessee and Louisiana.
In 2020, Manning founded Omaha Productions, an entertainment company producing documentaries, scripted and unscripted programming, podcasts, and digital content. Omaha partnered with ESPN to launch Monday Night Football with Peyton & Eli, which earned a Sports Emmy Award, while Manning received a 2023 Sports Emmy for Outstanding Personality/Event Analyst. He also hosts and executive produces ESPN’s Peyton’s Places and oversees a growing portfolio of projects across major media platforms, including Netflix’s Quarterback.
Manning comes from one of football’s most accomplished families. His father, Archie Manning, enjoyed a 14-year NFL career, while his brother, Eli Manning, won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants. Peyton and his family reside in Colorado.