Hall of Famer Peyton Manning Named To 2022 SEC Football Legends Class
October 06, 2022 | Football
Honor Comes On 25th Anniversary Of Leading Vols To 1997 SEC Championship
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Twenty-five years after leading Tennessee to the 1997 SEC championship, VFL and Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning will represent the Volunteers on the 2022 Southeastern Conference Football Legends class, the league office announced on Thursday.
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. The class will be honored at the 2022 SEC Football "Weekend of Champions" Dec. 2-3 in Atlanta highlighted by the annual SEC Legends Celebration on Friday, Dec. 2 at the College Football Hall of Fame. The group will also be recognized prior to the SEC Football Championship Game, which will be held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 3.
The SEC Legends program began in 1994. Manning will join his brother, Eli, as 2022 honorees with Eli representing his alma mater of Ole Miss.
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.
Manning finished his illustrious career holding 42 NCAA, SEC and Tennessee records. He still possesses 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).
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.
Manning 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.
Manning has received numerous awards for his philanthropic work off the field. He endows the Peyton Manning Scholarship on campus, awarding four-year scholarships to four incoming freshmen each year. Â
Manning founded Omaha Productions, a production company that has generated award-winning documentaries and digital programming. He and his brother, Eli, host the popular Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli alternate broadcast during the season.
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 classÂ
2022 – Peyton Manning
Â
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. The class will be honored at the 2022 SEC Football "Weekend of Champions" Dec. 2-3 in Atlanta highlighted by the annual SEC Legends Celebration on Friday, Dec. 2 at the College Football Hall of Fame. The group will also be recognized prior to the SEC Football Championship Game, which will be held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 3.
The SEC Legends program began in 1994. Manning will join his brother, Eli, as 2022 honorees with Eli representing his alma mater of Ole Miss.
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.
Manning finished his illustrious career holding 42 NCAA, SEC and Tennessee records. He still possesses 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).
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.
Manning 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.
Manning has received numerous awards for his philanthropic work off the field. He endows the Peyton Manning Scholarship on campus, awarding four-year scholarships to four incoming freshmen each year. Â
Manning founded Omaha Productions, a production company that has generated award-winning documentaries and digital programming. He and his brother, Eli, host the popular Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli alternate broadcast during the season.
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 classÂ
2022 – Peyton Manning
Â
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