BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — VFL and Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning will represent the Volunteers in the 2022 Southeastern Conference Football Legends class, according to an SEC announcement.
The 2022 SEC Football Legends class includes 14 former stars who excelled on the gridiron and helped write the rich history of the sport at their respective institutions, according to a release from UT Athletics.
The class will be honored at the 2022 SEC Football "Weekend of Champions" on Dec. 2-3 in Atlanta highlighted by the annual SEC Legends Celebration on Friday, Dec. 2 at the College Football Hall of Fame, according to a release. The group will also be recognized before the SEC Football Championship Game, which will be held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 3.
UT Athletics said Peyton guided Tennessee to four consecutive bowl games, three straight top 10 national rankings and the 1997 SEC championship as he captured MVP honors.
The Vols topped Auburn, 30-29, in that contest as he threw for 373 yards and four touchdowns, including a game-winning, 73-yarder to Marcus Nash in the fourth quarter.
The 1997 Heisman Trophy runner-up and a consensus first-team All-American, Manning claimed the Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award, Sullivan Award, Campbell Trophy and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award during his senior campaign, according to the release.
He finished his career holding 42 NCAA, SEC and Tennessee records. He still holds school records for wins by a starting quarterback (39), passing yards (11,201), touchdown passes (89), total touchdowns (101, 89 passing/12 rushing), passing attempts (1,381), completions (863) and career 300-yard games (18), according to UT Athletics.
UT said as the No. 1 overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft, Manning established himself as one of the greatest players in NFL history, playing for the Indianapolis Colts for 13 seasons and the Denver Broncos for four. He remains the only player in NFL annals to win MVP honors five times. He became the first starting quarterback in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with multiple franchises.
He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2017, the University of Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016, the state of Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 2019 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021, according to a release.
Manning received numerous awards for his philanthropic work off the field, according to UT. He endows the Peyton Manning Scholarship on campus, awarding four-year scholarships to four incoming freshmen each year.
He founded Omaha Productions, a production company that has generated award-winning documentaries and digital programming, according to the release. He and his brother, Eli, host the popular Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli alternate broadcast during the season.
The SEC Legends program began in 1994. Manning will join Eli as 2022 honorees with Eli representing his alma mater, Ole Miss, according to UT Athletics.
2022 SEC Football Legends Class
- Alabama – Ozzie Newsome, Split End, 1974-77
- Arkansas – Steve Korte, Offensive Guard, 1981-82
- Auburn – Ben Tamburello, Guard/Center, 1983-86
- Florida – Alex Brown, Defensive End, 1998-2001
- Georgia – Thomas Davis, Linebacker, 2002-04
- Kentucky – Joe Federspiel, Linebacker, 1969-71
- LSU – Todd McClure, Center, 1995-98
- Ole Miss – Eli Manning, Quarterback, 1999-2003
- Mississippi State – K.J. Wright, Linebacker, 2007-10
- Missouri – Gary Pinkel, Head Coach, 2001-15
- South Carolina – Alshon Jeffery, Wide Receiver, 2009-11
- Tennessee – Peyton Manning, Quarterback, 1994-97
- Texas A&M – Johnny Manziel, Quarterback, 2012-13
- Vanderbilt – Allama Matthews, Tight End, 1979-82
Tennessee All-Time SEC Football Legends
- 1994 – Bob Johnson
- 1995 – Doug Atkins
- 1996 – Condredge Holloway
- 1997 – John Michels
- 1998 – Richmond Flowers
- 1999 – Steve Kiner
- 2000 – Steve DeLong
- 2001 – Stanley Morgan
- 2002 – Johnny Majors
- 2003 – Reggie White
- 2004 – Frank Emanuel
- 2005 – Larry Seivers
- 2006 – Chip Kell
- 2007 – Willie Gault
- 2008 – Doug Dickey
- 2009 – Heath Shuler
- 2010 – Al Wilson
- 2011 – Bobby Majors
- 2012 – Peerless Price
- 2013 – Inky Johnson
- 2014 – Todd Kelly
- 2015 – Chuck Smith
- 2016 – Deon Grant
- 2017 – Chad Clifton
- 2018 – Phillip Fulmer
- 2019 – Darin Walker
- 2020 – no Legends class (COVID-19 season)
- 2021 – no Legends class
- 2022 – Peyton Manning
