How Good Was Peyton Manning Actually?

[Applause] known as the sheriff The Comeback Kid and the greatest regular season QB pton Manning was one of the most legendary quarterbacks in NFL history playing 14 Seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and wrapping up his career with four seasons for the Denver Broncos young age I was I understood the importance of college football and what it meant to my dad and what it meant to so many Manning was not just part of the famous Manning football Dynasty he was the Second Son of Archie Manning a former NFL quarterback and the older brother of Eli Manning another Super Bowl winning quarterback Payton's career was packed with impressive accomplishments he won the Super Bowl twice and was named Super Bowl MVP after the Colts victory in Super Bowl 41 on top of that he was a five-time NFL most valuable player which is more than any other player in history Manning was also a two-time NFL offensive player Player of the Year proving how dominant he was on the field his ability to bounce back after injury earned him the NFL comeback Player of the Year award in 2012 but how good was Payton Manning actually to really understand his greatness we need to travel Back to Where it All Began Payton Manning was born into a football family in New Orleans Louisiana in 1976 his father Archie Manning was a well-known NFL quarterback and from a young age pton was surrounded by the game he grew up playing football with his brothers Cooper and Eli and developed a deep love for the sport in high school Payton excelled at Isidor Newman school where he was a standout quarterback his talent caught the attention of college Scouts all over the country but he chose to attend the University of Tennessee during his time there he became one of the best college quarterbacks in the nation he set numerous school records threw for over 11,000 yards and led the volunteers to a southeastern conference SEC championship in 1997 though he never won the Heisman Trophy he finished runner up Payton's college career cemented him as a top prospect for the NFL setting the stage for his legendary professional career after being selected as the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts pton Manning wasted no time making an impact his rookie season was a learning experience as he led the league with 28 interceptions but also set the record for most touchdown passes by a rookie with 26 Manning's leadership and work ethic were clear even then and over the next few seasons he steadily improved by 1999 he had already led the Colts to a 13 and3 record and an AFC East title marking a major turnaround for the franchise one of the standout moments early in his career came in 2003 when Manning led the Colts to an incredible comeback win in the AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots although they didn't win the game it showed his resilience and ability to perform Under Pressure that same year Manning was named co-mvp of the league sharing the award with Steve McNair and he led the league in passing yards for the first time in his career Manning's 2004 season was a record-breaking one he threw for 49 touchdown passes breaking Dan Marino's single season record of 48 which had stood since 1984 he also had a career best passer rating of 121.1mi NFL MVP for the second time leading the Colts to a 12-4 record and another division title however the season ended in disappointment as the Colts were defeated by the Patriots in the AFC divisional round by the 2005 season Manning had solidified himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL he was leading an explosive Colts offense featuring stars like Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne That season Manning helped guide the Colts to a 14-2 record but they fell short again in the play playoffs losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a shocking upset in the AFC divisional round despite the playoff struggles Manning's regular season performances during these years were among the best the league had ever seen he continued to break records like becoming the fastest player to reach 25,000 career passing yards the 2006 season was a defining one for Manning after years of playoff heartbreak he finally led the Colts to a Super Bowl victory in the AFC Championship game Manning orchestrated a remarkable comeback against the New England Patriots overcoming an 18-point deficit to win 38-34 and advanced to Super Bowl 41 this victory was especially sweet as it came against his longtime rival Tom Brady whose Patriots had often been a roadblock in Manning's postseason Journeys in that Super Bowl the Colts defeated the Chicago Bears 29-17 and Manning was named Super Bowl MVP this Victory silenced critics who questioned whether he could win the big game Manning followed up that success with more Stellar performances in the seasons that followed in 2007 he led the Colts to another division title and threw for over 4,000 yards for the eighth time in his career showcasing his consistency and reliability as one of the League's Elite quarterbacks although the Colts were eliminated in the playoffs Manning's dominance on the field continued to be evident the 2008 season was another highlight for Manning despite the Colts starting three and four they won the their final nine games to finish 12 and four largely due to Manning's leadership That season Manning won his third NFL MVP award becoming only the second player at the time to achieve that feat he also earned his eighth Pro Bowl selection and fourth first team allp pro honor in 2009 Manning reached New Heights leading the Colts to a 14-2 record and another trip to the Super Bowl along the way he broke several several records including becoming the fastest player to reach 50,000 career passing yards Manning was named the league MVP for a record fourth time solidifying his place as one of the best players in NFL history however in Super Bowl 44 despite a strong start the Colts were upset by the New Orleans Saints and Manning fell just short of winning a second title in 2010 Manning faced new challenges as the Colts dealt with several key injuries despite this he carried the team to a 10 and six record and a ninth straight playoff appearance Manning threw for over 4,700 yards and 33 touchdowns continuing to set new standards for quarterback play however the Colts were eliminated in The wildcard round marking the end of a dominant era where Manning led the team to consistent success in 2011 Manning's career took a major turn when he was sidelined for the entire season due to a series of neck surgeries the Colts struggled without him finishing 2 and 14 and as a result the team secured the first overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft facing uncertainty about Manning's future health the Colts decided to move on from him drafting Andrew Luck as their new quarterback after 14 years in Indianapolis Manning was released by the team in March of 2012 ending a legendary ERA with the Colts Manning's comeback began almost immedi immediately he signed with the Denver Broncos and returned to the field for the 2012 season many doubted whether he could return to form after his surgeries but Manning quickly silenced his critics he led the Broncos to a 13-3 record and an AFC West Division title earning the NFL comeback Player of the Year award Manning through for 4,659 yards and 37 touchdowns showing that he was still one of the League's top quarterbacks the 2013 season was even more spectacular Manning had one of the best individual seasons in NFL history throwing for a record 55 touchdown passes and 5,477 passing yards both of which remain single season records he was named NFL MVP for a record fifth time and he led the Broncos to Super Bowl XL for weight however despite Manning's incredible season the Broncos were dominated by the Seattle Seahawks in a 43 to8 loss in 2014 Manning continued to perform at a high level once again leading the Broncos to a 12-4 record and another division title he passed Brett Faber to become the NFL's all-time leader in career touchdown passes however after an impressive regular season the Broncos were upset in the divisional round by the Indianapolis Colts Manning's former team the 2015 season marked the beginning of Manning's decline as age and injuries started to catch up with him he struggled with his performance and was eventually benched in favor of backup Brock Osweiler despite this Manning returned late in the season and helped the Broncos secure a playoff spot in the postseason Manning relied more on Denver's dominant defense led by Von Miller as the team Advanced to Super Bowl 50 in that game the Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers 24-10 giving Manning his second Super Bowl title though his individual performance wasn't as sharp as earlier in his career it was a fitting end to his story as he retired shortly after the victory be sure to subscribe and thanks for watching