As an Indianapolis Colts fan, I already have an opinion about what Peyton Manning's legacy will be. I have the highest regard for Mr. Manning and all of his qualities.
There will always be an argument about the best quarterbacks to play professional football. This list will include names like Montana, Favre, Elway, Namath, Bradshaw, and Brady, among many others, but this conversation cannot take place without the name "Manning" being inserted.
I am not here to make his case as the best quarterback ever. I am here to talk about his legacy as a quarterback, a football player, a personality, and an overall person.
As a quarterback, Manning has arguably meant more to his team than any other player in football history. His arrival in Indianapolis changed the image of the Colts almost instantly.
After a short adjustment period, he quickly became the biggest problem for opposing defenses in the NFL.
The rest as they say, is history.
Most know about his football attributes. His cunning knowledge of the game reflects his work ethic. The passion he exudes is contagious. His professional approach to the game has made the Colts a model of success in the NFL. Manning makes every player on his team better, and every player on the other side of the ball adjust to the Colts' style of play.
What most don't consider is what Peyton does off the field. He graduated early from the University of Tennessee. During school he was a model student athlete and a front runner for the coveted Heisman Trophy. After being drafted into the NFL, he remained active in his alma mater, and still does to this day.
A lot of people are also familiar with his antics on non-football television. He has been in numerous TV ads, and most of them have become popular due to Peyton's light-hearted humor. He was also one of the most popular Saturday Night Live hosts in recent years.
What makes him the full package, however, is his contribution to the public. He especially tries to take care of his home state of Louisiana. Manning makes contributions to several causes around the world, but none seem to take priority over his beloved native land.
After the notorious disaster of Hurricane Katrina that ravaged the gulf coast, Manning took special interest in the matter. Along with donating money, he also contributed his time and energy to try to assist with the relief effort. The people affected by Katrina received tremendous help from Peyton and the rest of the Manning family.
These are just some of the attributes that should be contemplated when taking Peyton Manning's legacy into consideration. His on-the-field accolades will be discussed for decades to come, but we must not forget the other factors that define the character of the storied Colts signal caller.
4 comments Last one added 7 months ago — Leave a Comment
Ryan Michael 7 months ago
Peyton Manning to me, will be the greatest QB of all time when its all said and done.
He has meant more to his team then any other player in the history of the league as far as i can tell. He's a great human being which is far to underrated these days.
His contributions on the field can only be matched by his contributions off the field. He is a great role-model (another rare quality) and an active member of the community.
He gave hope to a city that had none and has since become the measuring stick for which all other QB's are measured.
Great article!
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Craig B. 7 months ago
I completely agree Ryan, thanks for the feedback.
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david dalton 7 months ago
I was in Neyland Stadium when Manning was playing as a freshman and was duking it out with Stewart for the starting position. As I recall, and I think objectively, Stewart was out performing Manning in those early games, but Fulmer knew something, most fans did not know at that time, and that was that Manning had a gift of leadership, and a rare insatiable thirst to understand the game. I remember reading articles during that first year that many players resented the manner in which Manning took control of the huddle. Manning was quoted as saying, "fear is what you feel when you don't know what the hell you are doing". Manning knew what he was doing, even as a Freshman at UT. During his 4 year tenure at UT, we all knew we were watching a legend. Had Manning gone to the Titans to play football, he would have single handedly been worth 30 plus thousand tickets a game. Furthermore, he would have, for all practical purposes, owned the state of Tennessee. I would like to see Manning get one more Super Bowl under his belt, I think he deserves it.
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Craig B. 7 months ago
Total agree David. I never watched Peyton play in person at Neyland but I did watch him every weekend on TV. He was/is something special in so many ways. One of my favorite sports images is Peyton getting up on the stand and conducting the band while singing "Rocky Top" after a big win. I personally did not have a pro football team to root for until Peyton graduated. When he was drafted I started liking the Colts, and I am as into the Colts as anyone now. I agree he does deserve another Super Bowl and has a very good chance to still get another in the next few years. As for the Titans, were they still in Houston when he was drafted? I don't remember. Anyways you are right about him owning the state if that were the case. He would have a statue on top of the capitol building in Nashville. My hope is that when he is done with his playing career that he will come back to UT and do some coaching. That would be the most popular coaching hire since........................ well probably ever. Thanks for the feedback. And GO VOLS!
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