NFL Icon Peyton Manning Joins Tennessee Alma Mater as Professor of Practice

Legendary quarterback Peyton Manning is returning to his alma mater of Tennessee, but instead of lending his talents to the field, he will bring them to the classroom.

Tennessee announced Monday that Manning has been appointed as a professor of practice in the College of Communications and Information for the fall 2023 semester.

Per ESPN's Chris Low, Manning "will join select classes during the academic year as a featured expert and work alongside the college's faculty to provide learning experiences for CCI students at Tennessee." The Pro Football Hall of Famer graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Tennessee with a degree in speech communications in 1997 after leading the Vols to an SEC Championship that season.

"My time as a student in the College of Communication and Information was a foundational experience during which I learned critical skills and messaging techniques that I continue to put to use almost daily," Manning said. "I look forward to working with the college's talented faculty, and directly with students in an effort to ensure they are well prepared for their future careers."

The 47-year-old reportedly plans to teach his classes in person despite living in Denver. Low noted that Manning "will partner with the CCI faculty and teach a variety of topics that align with the college's curriculum, including sports reporting, video production and performance, leadership and communication and public speaking."

While his iconic playing career came to an end following the 2015 season, Manning has remained in the public eye through multiple media and entertainment endeavors. He and his younger brother Eli are entering their third season doing the "ManningCast," which is an alternate broadcast of Monday Night Football games. Manning will also co-host the Country Music Awards for the second straight year in November alongside Luke Bryan after being the first pro athlete to host the CMAs last year.

In 2020, Manning launched his Omaha Productions entertainment company. He has provided internships with the company to Tennessee journalism and electronic media students. In addition to remaining closely involved with the university through donations and frequent appearances, he also established the Peyton Manning Scholarship for first-year Tennessee students the year after he graduated.

"There is no other ambassador for our college and university like Peyton Manning, and we are proud to welcome him to the college's faculty," said Joseph Mazer, dean of the College of Communication and Information. "Peyton is a true Volunteer, and I look forward to our students gaining invaluable knowledge from him as we continue to prepare the next generation of communication and information leaders."