Nicknamed " the Sheriff ", [ 2 ] he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with the Denver Broncos. Manning was selected first overall in the NFL draft by the Colts and served as their starting quarterback from to He helped transform the struggling Colts franchise into consistent playoff contenders, leading them to 11 playoff appearances, eight division titles, three AFC Championship Games , two Super Bowl appearances, and one championship title in Super Bowl XLI , the franchise's first in over three decades and first since relocating to Indianapolis.
After undergoing neck surgery that sidelined him for the season, Manning was released by the Colts and signed with the Broncos. Serving as the Broncos starting quarterback from to , he helped them clinch their division each season and reach two Super Bowls.
Manning's career ended with a victory in Super Bowl 50 , making him the first starting quarterback to win the Super Bowl for more than one franchise. Manning holds many NFL records, including most MVP awards , [ 16 ] quarterback first-team All-Pro selections, [ 17 ] 4,yard passing seasons, [ 18 ] [ 19 ] single-season passing yards, [ 20 ] and single-season passing touchdowns.
Manning went to Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he led the Greenies football team to a 34β5 record during his three seasons as the starter. Newman has since retired the 18 jersey and it can be seen hanging in the school gym. Manning chose to play college football for the University of Tennessee Volunteers under head coach Phillip Fulmer.
As a freshman , Manning began the season as the third-string quarterback. However, he was not able to generate any offense, only handing the ball off three times, and was pulled from the game. During the season's fourth game, against Mississippi State , starter Todd Helton got injured and he took over. They won all but one of their remaining games, finishing the season 8β4 with a 45β23 victory over Virginia Tech in the Gator Bowl.
