Sport: Football

Hometown: New Orleans, LA

Biography:  During his tenure at the University of Tennessee, Peyton Manning epitomized the term "student-athlete". He claimed 43 records at the school, conference, and national levels, while graduating with Phi Beta Kappa honors. Peyton passed up the NFL after his junior season and the near-certain opportunity to be chosen first in the NFL Draft to remain in school for a fourth year and forever set him apart. He was a three-time Academic All-America honoree. Following his senior season, Peyton was honored with the Sullivan Award for the nation's top amateur athlete based on character, leadership, athletic ability and the ideals of amateurism. The University of Tennessee established the Manning Scholarship following Peyton's graduation. The scholarship is funded from gifts to the University garnered from Manning's academic awards, the UT Athletic Department's corporate matching grants program and other private gifts. Manning's four-year career at UT produced a number of awards that generated $165,000 in scholarship funds. The Manning Scholarship covers the costs of tuition, room and board. The award is granted to a first-year student on the basis of academic achievement, leadership and community service. Since joining the Indianapolis Colts as the number one overall pick in the 1998 draft, quarterback Peyton Manning has scorched the record books, made three Pro Bowl appearances and thrown for more yards and touchdowns than any other quarterback in that span. In 2002, Peyton became the first player in NFL history to pass for 4,000 yards in four consecutive seasons. He is also the only player in NFL history with 3,000 passing yards in each of his first five seasons. He joined Dan Marino and Brett Favre in 2002 as the only NFL quarterbacks with 25 or more touchdown passes in five consecutive seasons. Peyton has started 80 consecutive games, the most by any NFL quarterback to open a career. He took every snap in 2002 for the third time in his career (1998, 2000) and has taken 5,017 of 5,060 possible snaps in his five-year career. He has led the Colts to 10 or more wins in three seasons, tied for best in club history. He led the Colts to their first AFC Divisional Championship in 1999 and was named the AFC Player of the Year. Peyton is the only quarterback in NFL history to throw for 12,000+ yards in his first three seasons. In 2001, Peyton surpassed 15,000 passing yards in his 59th career game and 100 touchdowns in his 56th game, the second and third-fastest streaks in NFL history.
In the Colts record book, Peyton holds the top five totals for most passing yards in a single season and the five best marks for attempts, completions and most games with a touchdown pass. He set the club record for touchdowns in a season with 33 in 2000 and is the only player in club history to throw for 400+ yards in multiple games.