The Sheriff is now officially entering the hallowed halls of NFL royalty. Saturday night, former Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning heard his name called during the annual NFL Honors award show. He became a member of the 2021 Hall of Fame class and will forever be enshrined in Canton, Ohio.
The announcement took place during NFL Honors, but Manning actually learned about his enshrinement in late January. He was told to film a special segment of Peyton’s Places inside the Broncos’ stadium. A group of his former coaches walked up during the filming and surprised him on the field. They told him to watch video tributes on the jumbotron before David Baker, president and executive director of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, walked onto the field to deliver the news.
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There’s a new Sheriff in Canton.
Peyton Manning officially joins the Pro Football Hall of Fame. pic.twitter.com/VFOBRZus3h
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) February 7, 2021
The No. 1 pick in the 1998 NFL Draft, Manning found considerable success on the football field. He was a 14-time Pro Bowler, seven-time first-team All-Pro and five-time NFL MVP. He also set the single-season record for passing touchdowns (55). Manning currently sits in third place in NFL history with 71,940 passing yards and 539 passing TDs.
Manning led both the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos to appearances in the Super Bowl. He defeated the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI and lost to the New Orleans Saints in Super Bowl XLIV with the Colts. Once he joined the Broncos, he led the team to Super Bowl XLVIII, a loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Manning returned to the Big Game once more and ended his career with a victory over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50.
One of the most important parts of becoming a Hall of Famer is finding the perfect person to introduce you during the August ceremony. Manning had an easy choice after learning that he was a Hall of Famer. He decided to have his dad, former NFL quarterback Archie Manning, take part in the time-honored tradition.
“My dad was my favorite player growing up,” Manning said, per the Broncos. “He was my favorite quarterback. He’s had the greatest football influence on me, even though he never was my coach. Pickup football, knee football in the den, backyard football. He used to go over to our high school because we’d ask him to come watch us throw with my receivers.
“It was always I had to go ask for his help as opposed to him coming to us, and he was glad to do it. He’s my favorite quarterback,” Manning continued. “He’s going to present me, which it’s only appropriate because of the impact he’s had on me.”
