Checking in with PEYTON MANNING
Stadiums are a topic with which Peyton Manning is very familiar. He’s certainly played in enough of them in his combined 25 years as a high school, college and pro quarterback.
So when that became the subject of the premiere episode of his Monday History series “History’s Greatest of All Time With Peyton Manning,” the five-time NFL MVP and twotime Super Bowl champ had two that held particularly fond personal memories for him.
“I played in the Superdome in high school, in the NFL,” the New Orleans native says. “I used to go there a ton as a kid when my dad (Archie) was the quarterback for the Saints when it opened in the mid-’70s. I used to go down on that Superdome field after the game. When my dad was getting dressed, me and my brother Cooper would play one-on-one 100yard football.”
And then in college, the former Tennessee Volunteer All American adds, “Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, it’s a hundred years old, great history there . ... That was one that was very special to me.”
As for his current role as host and executive producer of the hourlong series that counts down the top 10 greatest in various categories, from sports cars and inventions to daredevils and titans of industry, Manning says he came away surprised by some of the rankings and hopes that it will spark discussion among viewers.
“I was kind of learning as I was sort of talking into the cameras,” he says, “and I can remember having reactions like we hope people watching the show will have. They’ll agree on some, they’ll disagree some . ... Hopefully that means they’re watching if they’re debating it.” Full name: Peyton Williams Manning
Birth date: March 24, 1976
Birthplace: New Orleans
Family ties: Is one of three former NFL quarterbacks in the Manning family with father Archie and younger brother Eli; older brother Cooper was a wide recceiver in high school Alma mater: University of Tennessee Athletic laurels include: Pro Football Hall of Fame; five-time NFL MVP; two-time Super Bowl champ; NFL Comeback Player of the Year (2012); seven-time All Pro; 14-time Pro Bowl selection; three-time NFL passing yards leader; holds NFL season records for most passing yards (5,477) and passing touchdowns (55)
TV credits include: “American Idol,” “Saturday Night Live,” “Comedy Central Roasts,” “A Football Life,” “All That,” “Modern Family,” “Salute to Service,” “Peyton’s Places,” “Detail,” “College Bowl,” “Eli’s Places”
Movie credits include: “Boys of Fall” (2010); “Ferdinand” (2017; voice only), “Chris Berman: He Did Go All the Way” (2017)